German Chancellor Friedrich Merz left Monday for Washington where he is set to become the first European leader to visit President Donald Trump since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran.

The previously scheduled White House meeting Tuesday had been expected to focus on the Ukraine war, U.S.-EU trade tensions and a wider effort to salvage frayed trans-Atlantic ties.

Now the key topic will be the war started by the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and have seen Tehran strike back at targets across the region and beyond.

The German chancellor — long a harsh critic of the Islamic Republic's leadership — on Sunday said Berlin shared the Iranian people's "relief" that the "mullah regime is coming to an end."

On the issue of whether the attack complied with international law, Merz said now was not the time "to lecture our partners and allies" and pointed to past failed attempts to curb Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

Germany, France, and Britain said Sunday they were ready to defend their interests and those of their allies in the Gulf if necessary by taking "defensive action" against Iran.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., slammed all three for what he labeled their "pathetically soft" response to America's Operation Epic Fury.

Germany has since made clear it would not join the war, other than to take any action needed to protect its troops based in the Middle East.

"For us it means nothing more than that our Bundeswehr soldiers, if attacked, would defend themselves," said Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, with no "measures beyond this" planned.