Angela Merkel looks dismayed when she steps in front of the cameras in the German embassy in Washington.
During these hours, her thoughts were “always with the people at home”, in the flood areas in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, said the Chancellor in a briefly arranged appearance.
"From here I want to send you a token of sympathy and solidarity." Merkel speaks of catastrophe and tragedy.
It is noticeable to her how much she moves the situation at home in Germany.
It is one of Merkel's last major trips abroad and one of the most important visits to the USA in her 16-year-old era as Chancellor.
But the floods with many deaths, collapsed houses and flooded areas almost let the reason for your visit to Washington take a back seat.
After a period of disruption during the era of former President Donald Trump, Merkel and Joe Biden want above all to send a signal of a fresh start.
And even if Merkel no longer runs for the federal election and she will leave office in a few months: important groundwork must have been set for her successor in the Chancellery during the deliberations in the USA.
Friendly welcome at the White House
As soon as Biden greeted him in the Oval Office in the White House, it became clear that the atmosphere between the Chancellor and the President was right.
Unlike in the days of Trump, both appear to be facing each other, and Merkel and Biden also smile.
Biden, on whose side table there is a thick file, raves about Merkel as America's personal friend.
The relationship between the two countries is strong and growing.
Merkel did a lot for this "lasting friendship".
And Merkel, who was born in East Germany and has always had great sympathy for America, replies: "I really appreciate the friendship, I know what America has done for the history of a free and democratic Germany."
At the press conference later, too, the mood is relaxed - even if individual conflicts continue to smolder. Merkel and Biden had talked to each other a good hour longer than planned. She has "groundbreaking services" for Germany and the world, has always stood up for what is right and has defended human dignity. "I know that the partnership between Germany and the United States will grow even stronger on the foundation that you helped to build."
At the beginning, Merkel spoke again about the flood disaster: She was very close to the suffering of those affected.
The government will not leave the people alone during these difficult hours.
She expressly thanks Biden for the friendly exchange.
"We are close partners," she emphasizes with relief.
"I want it to stay that way even after my time as Federal Chancellor."
Not unanimous on all topics
As usual, Merkel goes through the issues soberly. She praised an energy and climate partnership between the two countries that was agreed at the meeting, briefly touching on Iran, Afghanistan, the pandemic, global vaccination, and a number of other topics. In the dispute over the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream II between Russia and Germany, both sides remain tough - it was already clear that Merkel and Biden would not announce a breakthrough here. Even good friends could have disagreements, Biden comments succinctly. And there is also no solution to the controversial travel rules of the USA due to the pandemic or the US demand for patent protection for vaccines to be lifted.
During the Chancellor's visit to Washington, the flood disaster had drawn attention to the mega-topic of the future, climate protection.
Here, of all places, there were huge differences in the time of Trump: He had drawn the United States out of the Paris climate protection agreement.
Biden reversed the exit on the first day in office.
Merkel is now calling for progress at the UN climate conference in autumn at Johns Hopkins University, from which she has received the 18th honorary doctorate of her term of office.
"Of course, there is very, very good news that the United States of America is back and that they have come up with quite ambitious goals," she praised.
Greetings from Vice President Harris
Before her difficult appearance on the flood disaster, Merkel met with America's Vice President Kamala Harris - a woman for whom the Chancellor clearly feels great sympathy.
There are warm scenes in the greeting.
Merkel and Harris do not shake hands, however, probably because of the corona pandemic.
Of course, the Chancellor is also asked in Washington what she will do when she leaves office and what will change for her the day after.
“Probably, habitually, different thoughts will come into my head as to what I should actually do now,” Merkel replied in a good mood during a question and answer session with students at Johns Hopkins University.
“And then it will quickly occur to me that someone else is doing this now.
And I think I will like that very much. "
You will notice that you have free time - and will not accept the next invitation straight away, “because I'm afraid I have nothing to do and nobody wants me anymore,” Merkel says. And she will take a break to think about what actually interests her, "because in the last 16 years I haven't had much time". She'll read and sleep - "and then let's see where I turn up," she concludes with a smile.