Presidential candidate Barack Obama is set to deliver a public speech in Berlin on Thursday as part of his week-long foreign tour. The outdoor address on transatlantic ties is expected to attract a large crowd. Obama, who is very popular in Germany and often compared to former President John F. Kennedy, will also meet Chancellor Angela Merkel for the first time. Although Merkel initially opposed his plan to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, Obama will instead give his speech at the "Victory Column" in Berlin's central Tiergarten park, near the Gate. The landmark, which was once a symbol of the Cold War, holds great significance. Obama hopes his speech will emphasize the importance of the relationship between the United States and Europe and highlight the need to strengthen it. Relations between the United States and Germany were strained during Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schroeder's term due to his strong opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. However, Merkel, a conservative leader who grew up in East Germany, has made efforts to mend the relationship and has become one of President George W. Bush's closest allies in Europe. Merkel mentioned that she planned to discuss NATO cooperation, climate change, and trade issues with Obama during their meeting at the Chancellery, which is expected to last about an hour. They are also likely to talk about Afghanistan and Iraq, the first stops on Obama's Middle East and European tour. Obama expressed his concern about the situation in Afghanistan, describing it as precarious and urgent during his visit to Kabul on Sunday. Limits have been set by Merkel on what Germany can do in terms of stepping up efforts in Afghanistan, despite pressure from both Obama and McCain. The Obama visit to Germany has been highly anticipated, with debates arising over whether he should give a speech at the Brandenburg Gate, a location historically reserved for presidents rather than candidates. Merkel's advisers suggested a more low-key location for the speech, but Obama stated that he was not preparing to deliver a Cold War-style speech like Reagan and Kennedy. He stated that Berlin symbolizes the success of post-war efforts to unite the continent and the West. There will be around 700 police officers present for the visit, and barriers have been set up around the "Siegessaeule" since Monday. Crowd estimates for the event range from 10,000 to nearly a million people. The German public television station ARD will broadcast the entire 45-minute speech live at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT). According to a Pew Research Center poll, Germans prefer Obama over McCain by a 49-point margin. The popular German magazine Der Spiegel focused its weekend edition on the visit, featuring a photo of Obama on the cover with the headline "Germany meets the Superstar".