German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Washington to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama.

The two leaders are set on Tuesday to discuss NATO operations in Libya, a project Germany has not supported. Officials say the two leaders are also likely to touch on Afghanistan, Tunisia, the Middle East peace process, and the global economy.

Mr. Obama is also expected to present the U.S. Medal of Freedom to Ms. Merkel at a formal dinner later Tuesday. Ms. Merkel is the first woman to become German chancellor.

President Obama and Chancellor Merkel had a casual dinner late Monday at an elegant restaurant in Washington's historic Georgetown neighborhood.

Her visit comes as Germany struggles with an outbreak of E. coli that has killed at least 22 people and sickened some 2,200 others.

On Monday, Germany's Cabinet approved a plan to phase out the country's nuclear plants by 2022, becoming the first major industrial power to give up atomic power and rely entirely on other sources of energy.