I'm going with a message to Germany/EU.
If there's a big deal somewhere then keep the meeting as scheduled, short as possible, bullshit your way through it then do what you need to do afterwards. Couple of hours won't make a difference.
Kansas telegraphing the crisis like this just waves off Germany/Eu as not that important in the big scheme of things and lets the world know while he's at it.
Bill came due for Merkel meeting with Obama? Don't trust the setting? Lavrov gave him a head's up about something in the pipe?