Germany has hugely increased its military spending, aiming to be less dependent on Washington. Its support for U.S. attacks on Iran may also give it leverage.

The president has domestic and international political motivations for touting negotiations to end the war. Iran has similar ones to deny discussions.

The conflict is reshaping travel patterns, energy dependencies, living costs, trade routes and diplomatic alliances.

Friedrich Merz has called for greater European unity, but he did not publicly object to the president rebuking Spain and Britain during an Oval Office meeting.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Washington, long planned, is now likely to be dominated by discussions of the attack, which Europeans did not take part in.