Obama Shifts Focus To Europe

Five years after the U.S. policy "Pivot To Asia," President Obama and European leaders are focusing on the importance of U.S. - European ties.

The renewed emphasis on the transatlantic alliance comes after Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Speaking at a new conference this morning with President Obama, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barrosso said that Obama's visit sends a strong signal of the "importance of the transatlantic alliance," and assured President that, "you can count on us as your best allies."

President Obama will speak from the Palais des Beaux - Arts in Brussels today, a venue which a White House official says will allow the President to highlight Europe's role in the world.

NPR's diplomacy correspondent Michele Kelemen joins Here & Now's Robin Young to discuss President Obama's foreign policy goals in Europe.