munich germany republican senator john mccain break reassure message u.s. officials visit germany seek convey debut trip europe say friday administration president donald trump disarray mccain know trump critic tell munich security conference resignation new president security adviser michael flynn contact russia reflect deep problems washington think flynn issue obviously something show many respect administration disarray get lot work say mccain even praise trump defense secretary president think make statements occasion contradict learn watch president oppose say say european governments unsettle signal send trump range foreign policy issue range nato russia iran israel european integration debut trip europe trump defence secretary jim mattis secretary state rex tillerson meet g20 counterparts bonn go way assuage concern take traditional u.s. position trump wrestle grow controversy home potential tie aid russia dismiss thursday ruse scam perpetrate hostile news media mattis make clear ally nato brussels munich unite state would retreat leadership european continent grapple assertive russia war eastern southern mediterranean countries attack islamist militants u.s. vice president mike pence address munich conference saturday similar message reassurance pence say europe indispensable partner unite state senior white house foreign policy adviser tell reporters mattis tell crowd include head state 70 defense minister trump back nato president trump come office throw full support nato espouse nato need adapt today strategic situation remain credible capable relevant mattis say mattis say unite state european ally share understand challenge ahead trump alarm ally express admiration russian president vladimir putin mattis however speak strongly russia europe talk nato ally brussels thursday say believe would possible collaborate militarily moscow least europeans may need convince washington stand range security issue still lot uncertainty sebastian kurz austria foreign minister tell reporters big topic munich look usa see developments expect next european intelligence agencies warn russia also seek destabilize governments influence elections across europe cyber attack fake news propaganda fund far-right political party illusions step-change russian behavior last couple years even crimea british defence minister michael fallon say refer moscow 2014 annexation ukrainian peninsula see step-change russian military aggression also propaganda misinformation succession persistent attack western democracies interference whole series elections include ... unite state nato secretary-general jens stoltenberg hold talk russian foreign minister sergei lavrov munich see progress encourage moscow open military exercise alliance say unpredictable russia say western alliance moscow destabilize europe send troop western border different view stoltenberg say crisis ukraine west accuse kremlin arm separatist rebel conflict kill 10,000 people since april 2014. russia say conflict civil war late incident lithuanian prosecutors open criminal investigation false report rape german soldier station nato mission deter russia mattis without explicitly cite case rally defense german force speak german city munich great respect germany leadership europe ethical performance troop battlefield say u.s. intelligence agencies conclude last year russia hack leak democratic email election campaign part effort tilt vote trump favor mccain acknowledge concern europe beyond america lay mantle global leadership cite global trend find disturb include harden resentment toward immigrants unwillingness separate truth lie mccain urge forum give unite state make mistake friends dangerous time count america count mccain say trump 's team disarray u.s. senator mccain tell europe