Europe is home to some of the U.S.' closest and allies. But as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, their priorities may be diverging.

With Kim’s escalating rhetoric about war with the South and the West, China needs its leverage to preserve peace in its backyard and cannot afford to be seen alienating its only treaty ally. This places China in a serious bind without any real options except to hope that the EU and U.

Since China and Russia are so closely aligned, thwarting Russian ambitions in Ukraine and elsewhere is a crucial element of the U.S. effort to contain China.