Fixing the transatlantic relationship is high on the agenda of President-elect Joe Biden. The nomination of Mr Antony Blinken, a defender of global alliances, for the post of secretary of state indicates that Mr Biden wants to mend the many rifts he will inherit from Mr Donald Trump.

However, even post-Trump, a deep-rooted wariness about the future reliability of the United States will not easily go away among Nato partners in Europe. This is especially as the outgoing President sowed the seeds of doubt about US commitment to the guarantee of mutual assistance in the event of a military conflict.