There will likely be no state dinners, no press entourage and little fanfare. On a two-day go to to Washington to see President Biden, Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, desires to get straight to enterprise. The query many in Berlin are asking is what that enterprise is.

“What’s the goal of your journey to Washington as we speak? Why are you touring there? It’s best to have truly defined that right here,” Friedrich Merz, the chief of Germany’s most important opposition occasion, the Christian Democrats, stated to Mr. Scholz in a speech on the German Parliament on Thursday.

Solely a one-line assertion saying the go to to Washington was revealed by the chancellor’s press workplace upfront of the journey: The 2 leaders will talk about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one yr on, and Western help for Kyiv.

The quiet nature of the go to — with no touring press invited, and no information conferences, and never even a top level view of his plans in his speech to German Parliament earlier than his journey — has led some inside Berlin’s overseas coverage circles to wonder if it’s a reflection of a rising sense of urgency, on either side of the Atlantic, to discover a new street map for ending the battle in Ukraine.

“I believe we’re at a troublesome second, as a result of the query concerning the finish recreation is changing into louder, greater, and extra essential within the U.S., but additionally in Europe,” stated Ulrich Speck, a German overseas coverage analyst. “So I believe it’s one yr on and looking out again, it’s additionally trying ahead, and to the query: How will this finish?”

Mr. Scholz’s spokespeople say the muted nature of the journey is an “exception” however have confused it isn’t a mirrored image of any grave scenario, merely the “work focus” of the go to.

Nils Schmid, the overseas coverage spokesman in Parliament for Mr. Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, dismissed the notion that talks would deal with an “finish recreation.”

“Overseas coverage is all the time about situations, and naturally, they may cross by means of these totally different situations,” he stated. “However the thought is to have an actual working go to. It’s not a state go to. It’s actually sitting collectively, placing all of the playing cards on the desk, weighing the choices, sharing assessments and having a really free debate with out being obliged to supply any instant outcome on any of the information.”

European leaders are fretting over how help for Ukraine will fare throughout a U.S. presidential election subsequent yr, with elements of the Republican Social gathering skeptical of navy help for Kyiv. And almost all Western leaders have considerations over whether or not their populations could tire of sustained and dear backing of Ukraine, particularly as the battle exposes many shortcomings in their very own international locations — from navy preparedness to power provides.

In Berlin, a protest towards navy backing for Ukraine final Saturday drew 13,000 folks, police stated — reflecting the truth that a notable portion of Germany’s inhabitants stays leery of Western involvement within the battle.

Making an attempt to stability between that home wariness and European allies’ requires bolder navy help for Ukraine from Germany, Mr. Scholz gave a measured assertion reaffirming help for Ukraine earlier than setting off for Washington.

“Nearly all of residents need our nation to proceed to face by Ukraine,” he stated. “And to take action as we’ve for the reason that starting of the battle: decisively, in a balanced approach, carefully coordinated with our buddies and companions.”

One other agenda level could also be Iran, lawmakers stated, as a result of Germany has been below rising stress from Israel to handle stories that Iran has been quickly rising uranium enrichment. In flip, Germany has considerations concerning the rule of legislation in Israel below its new right-wing authorities that it might need to talk about with Washington as properly, Mr. Schmid stated.

China can also be anticipated to be a subject, notably as Washington has warned that it believes Beijing is contemplating sending weapons to Russia. Mr. Scholz made positive to warn towards such deliveries in his parliamentary speech, though Germany has but to be supplied with proof of that, in accordance with lawmakers.

In his speech to Parliament, Mr. Scholz additionally praised the trans-Atlantic relationship as “nearer and extra trusting than ever earlier than.”

But the character of that relationship can also want to alter, some observers warn.

To this point, Mr. Scholz has remained adamant that each step Germany takes in offering navy help to repel the Russian invasion is to be achieved in coordination with its allies — however most significantly with Washington.

That place got here below heavy pressure final month, when Washington and European allies heaped stress on Germany to ship Leopard tanks to Ukraine. The chancellor solely agreed to the transfer when Washington additionally pledged to ship a few of its subtle Abrams tanks, over U.S. navy objections that the autos wouldn’t be helpful to Ukraine.

Germany has described the plan as a joint settlement between the nations. However every week earlier than the chancellor’s go to, Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, advised in an interview with ABC Information that the transfer was taken by the president to placate the Germans.

“Within the curiosity of alliance unity, and to make sure that Ukraine received what it wished, although the Abrams aren’t the device they want, the president stated, OK, I’m going to be the chief of the free world. I’ll ship Abrams down the street if you happen to ship Leopards now,” Mr. Sullivan stated. “And that is truly an instance of Joe Biden rallying the worldwide coalition to get Ukraine what it wants.”

The statements instantly reignited debate in Berlin over whether or not Washington had felt pressured to conform to one thing it didn’t need to do. Mr. Scholz’s spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, dismissed the thought: “I’ve a tough time imagining a German chancellor dictating phrases or making any calls for of an American president.”

Sudha David-Wilp, the director of the Berlin workplace of the German Marshall Fund, a U.S. suppose tank, stated that whereas she didn’t interpret the assertion as an try and jab on the chancellor, it might be “a sign that this sort of cowl can’t final ceaselessly.”

“These type of transactions is probably not one thing that Germany can rely upon for the long run,” she stated. “The USA additionally desires to encourage Germany to behave in coordination with its European allies,” she added, with out Washington needing to hitch in.

That is probably not one thing Mr. Scholz, who has persistently acknowledged his need to work in lock step with Washington, will likely be prepared to simply accept.

Nonetheless, officers in each international locations say the working relationship between the 2 leaders is an efficient one.

“On overseas coverage, they’re very comparable,” Mr. Schmid stated. “So I believe on a private degree, they actually like to talk, to sit down collectively and chat and to suppose issues by means of.”

Christopher F. Schuetze contributed reporting from Berlin.