Thursday briefing: Nato can no longer count on US protection – so what now for Europe?

In today’s newsletter: The continent is preparing to fight without the guarantee of US protection – can it really defend itself? Good morning. Slowly, then all at once, Europe has realised that it can no longer rely on the United States for protection. For generations of western Europeans, the US has been the ultimate guarantor of peace on the continent through its network of military bases and nuclear umbrella developed after the second world war. But the presidency of Donald Trump has shaken this assumption to its core. In Ankara this week, Nato leaders gathered for their annual summit. Ahead of the meeting, diplomats scrambled to prepare a joint statement reaffirming article 5 – that an armed attack on one is an attack on all – in an attempt to highlight that even in the era of Trump, US military deterrence remains ready to protect Europe. But away from the cameras, it remains unclear what this commitment would actually mean if the worst happened. For today’s First Edition, I spoke with Dan Sabbagh, the Guardian’s defence and security editor, who was in Ankara for the summit, about how Europe is preparing to fight without the guarantee of US protection – and whethe