Blinken heads to Brussels for talks on Afghanistan, Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Brussels for talks with European and NATO allies about Afghanistan, Ukraine and other matters. The State Department says Blinken will have meetings in the Belgian capital on Tuesday and be met there by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for additional consultations on Wednesday. The trip comes ahead of a May 1 deadline set by the Trump administration for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition troops from Afghanistan. President Joe Biden and other officials say that deadline is not expected to be met as peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban remain inconclusive.