WASHINGTON — President Bush’s motorcade will speed through European capitals this week, but for many Europeans, the Bush presidency already is in the rearview mirrors.
Transatlantic relations are on the upswing as European leaders have moved beyond their anger over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Still, anti-Bush sentiment runs high, though that is being mollified by Europeans’ excitement about the race for Bush’s successor.
Like many Americans, Europeans have Bush fatigue. Many think Barack Obama and John McCain will have different positions — perhaps more favorable — than Bush on issues important to Europe.
The president continues promoting his agenda on climate change, Mideast peace and world trade issues, yet his influence has ebbed.
“I’m sure there will be some protests, but I think people are just looking past this guy at this point, and they’re interested in what comes next,” said James M. Goldgeier, an expert on Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“There’s no reason for any leader to give him anything because he’s on the way out,” Goldgeier said.
Bush’s week-long farewell trip to Slovenia, Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom is not Bush’s final goodbye to his European counterparts. He sees them again at a summit next month in Japan.
Yet as he completes the final leg of his presidency, the trip to Central and Western Europe is one of Bush’s last chances to lay the groundwork for U.S.-European relations for his successor.
The trip is not expected to yield any new deals.
Bush will ask for Europe’s help in Afghanistan and push for stronger penalties against Iran to discourage Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Europe will nudge Bush forward on a blueprint for global warming. Talks also will touch on humanitarian aid, the world food crisis, Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, Lebanon and economic integration of both sides of the Atlantic.
Bush’s itinerary
A look at the highlights of President Bush’s trip to Europe, Monday through June 16.
Tuesday: Meets separately with Slovenia’s president, Danilo Turk, and prime minister, Janez Jansa, and then European Union leaders at Brdo Castle. Participates in the U.S.-EU summit.
Wednesday: Meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Thursday: Meets with Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, at the presidential Quirinale Palace in Rome. Meets with Italy’s premier, Silvio Berlusconi.
Friday: Meets with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Speaks to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.
Saturday: Meets with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
June 15: Visits Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. Has dinner with Britain’s prime minister, Gordon Brown, at 10 Downing Street in London.
June 16: Expected to visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, to hail the power- sharing agreement between Protestants and Catholics after decades of strife.
