WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he is nominating Andrew Puzder, a former CEO of CKE Restaurants, as his choice for U.S. ambassador to the European Union, a day after the new U.S. leader vowed to hit the EU with tariffs.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named as his ambassador to the European Union a former fast food executive who withdrew from consideration for the Republican's last administration amid questions over his business practices and private life.

The European Union cannot rely on the United States to defend it and must increase military spending and security preparedness to deter Russia from targeting more of its neighbors after Ukraine, senior officials have warned.

The European Union must arm itself to “survive” in an increasingly uncertain global order, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday, calling on the bloc’s member states to boost spending on defense.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for drastically higher defence spending in the European Union in an address to the European Parliament on Wednesday. "If Europe is to survive, it needs to be armed,