Merkel brings message of stability to US on farewell visit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has left for Washington on what is likely to be her last official visit

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel left Wednesday for Washington on what is likely to be her last official visit , carrying a bag full of issues to discuss with President Joe Biden and an overarching message for Berlin's close ally: you've got a friend. The veteran German leader is expected to discuss the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the rise of China and a Russian gas pipeline that Washington opposes during her meetings Thursday with Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other senior U.S. officials. “In part this is a farewell visit, in part she is signaling continuity and stability in the German-U.S. relationship,” said Johannes Timm, a senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, a think tank in Berlin. After 16 years dealing with Merkel, many officials in Washington and elsewhere are wondering what course Germany might take after the next election and the long-time chancellor — who has dealt with four U.S. presidents in her time — will seek to reassure them that there won’t be a huge shift, he said.