washington u.s. vice president mike pence seek saturday soothe ally unnerve boss unorthodox statements russia nato stress america commitment europe first major foreign address trump administration pence tell annual munich security conference europe indispensable partner unite state message repeat privately meet dozen leaders weekend monday senior white house foreign policy adviser tell reporters secure prosperous u.s. europe strong unite adviser say preview pence trip president donald trump alarm ally campaign office break traditional republican view transatlantic relationship trump express admiration russian president vladimir putin say would like work fight islamic state militants question value north atlantic treaty organization munich pence hold series meet leaders include german chancellor angela merkel ukrainian president petro poroshenko leaders estonia latvia lithuania pence emphasize russia ukraine need fully implement minsk ceasefire agreement stand firm economic sanction russia relate aggression ukraine adviser tell reporters plan discuss counterterrorism meet afghan president ashraf ghani fight islamic state meet iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi turkish prime minister binali yildirim adviser say monday pence hold several discussions european officials brussels include nato secretary-general jens stoltenberg trip come amid turbulence white house trump fire national security adviser monday mislead pence conversations russia ambassador unite state trump turn replacement candidate thursday pence sentiments may welcome may take soothe word provide comfort give depth anxiety europe trump foreign policy say derek chollet top defense policy adviser former president barack obama try reassure try soften edge president recent comment europe put context explain think go solve problem say chollet german marshall fund unite state pence head europe reassurance tour