German Chancellor Angela Merkel will start a two-day visit to Washington on Thursday to discuss the increasingly urgent desire to find way to counter Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine -- an area where the West's response has so far been ineffective.
Diplomatic sources, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said Obama and Merkel will talk for four hours. They will hold a press conference after the meeting.
Another topic of discussion will be the long-time U.S. wiretapping of Merkel's telephone by the U.S. National Security Agency. Other items likely to be on the agenda are the negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, the devastating war in Syria and developments in the Middle East.
Merkel will also deliver a speech at the Chamber of Commerce and will meet the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, to talk about an aid program for Ukraine.
