BERLIN, July 23 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich

Merz will host French President Emmanuel Macron for talks over

dinner in Berlin on Wednesday, with Europe's battle to soften

incoming U.S. tariffs and support for Ukraine expected to top a

packed agenda.

The meeting, taking place at Villa Borsig in the German

capital's leafy outskirts, brings together the leaders of

Europe's two largest economies as trade negotiations approach

President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline.

"Of course, the question of how we react to the threat of

tariffs on August 1 is a central focus, and also the security

situation in Ukraine," Merz's chief of staff, Thorsten Frei,

told the ZDF broadcaster.

"The fact that the agenda is so full shows that the

relationship between Germany and France is not only good but

extremely important," Frei said, adding that a number of other

topics would be discussed.

Conservative Merz has courted a more unified front with

France on a range of issues, from European defence to diplomacy

with Iran, and criticised his predecessor Olaf Scholz for

neglecting Germany's relations with its neighbour.

However, sticking points remain.

Germany's signature was missing from a letter signed by

France and 27 other Western countries calling on Israel to

immediately end the war.

Merz has been increasingly critical of Israel but his chief

of staff said the letter was not clear enough that Hamas's

October 7, 2023 attacks had triggered the conflict.

Merz and Macron are also expected to discuss the FCAS

Franco-German-Spanish fighter jet project, whose future has been

called into question amid a growing feud with Europe's Airbus

over control of the program.