berlin week u.s. vice president mike pence visit brussels pledge america steadfast endure commitment european union white house chief strategist steve bannon meet german diplomat deliver different message accord people familiar talk bannon people say signal germany ambassador washington view eu flaw construct favour conduct relations europe bilateral basis three people brief meet speak reuters condition anonymity due sensitivity matter german government ambassador peter wittig decline comment cite confidentiality talk white house official check bannon response reuters query confirm meet take place say account provide reuters inaccurate speak three minutes quick hello official say source describe long meet bannon take time spell world view say message similar one deliver vatican conference back 2014 run right-wing website breitbart news remark deliver via skype bannon speak favourably european populist movements describe yearn nationalism people believe kind pan-european union western europe say time build foundation strong nationalist movements add think see us forward encounter unsettle people german government part officials hold hope bannon might temper view government offer nuanced message europe private one source brief meet say confirm view germany european partner must prepare policy hostility towards eu second source express concern base contact administration appreciation eu role ensure peace prosperity post-war europe appear understand white house unravel eu would grave consequences source say white house say transcript conversation source brief describe polite stress evidence trump prepare go beyond rhetorical attack eu repeatedly praise britain decision leave take concrete step destabilise bloc anxiety white house stance lead french foreign minister jean-marc ayrault wolfgang ischinger chairman munich security conference issue unusual call last week pence affirm visit europe u.s. aim break eu pence oblige monday brussels pledge strong tie unite state eu make clear message share president president trump look forward work together european union deepen political economic partnership say message end concern european capitals worry worry thomas matussek senior adviser flint global former german ambassador britain unite nations tell reuters one know anything moment sort decisions come washington clear man top people close feel nation state create identity see amorphous group countries like eu elections loom netherlands france germany year european officials say hop pence secretary defense jim mattis secretary state rex tillerson could convince trump work constructively eu worst-case scenario europe point view describe ischinger article publish last week entitle europe deal trump say u.s. administration actively support right-wing populists loom election campaign would trigger major transatlantic crisis exclusive white house deliver eu-skeptic message pence visit source