Barack Obama does not plan to speak by the historic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin when he takes his upcoming trip to the Middle East and Europe, his campaign confirmed Friday.

German officials were reportedly uneasy about the possibility of an Obama speech in front of the landmark, close to where the wall dividing Berlin once stood.

But Obama aides say Obama is looking elsewhere to make a "substantive speech" in Berlin on American and European relations.

"We are looking at a variety of locations in Germany and will pick one that we believe meets our needs and also the needs of our German hosts," foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough said. "The one thing that Barack made clear to us very early is that he didn't think it made sense at all for him to to speak at the Brandenburg Gate which he thought would be perhaps too presumptuous."

Germany's Deutsche Welle reported earlier that, according to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, Berlin's Senate will announce Friday that Obama will speak by the Victory Column, another landmark in the city.

Deutsche Welle reported that Obama's speech in Berlin is expected to draw thousands.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman says the German leader will welcome Obama to her office in Berlin next Thursday.

Spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm says the meeting at the chancellery is expected to take place on Thursday morning.

Click here to read about Obama's overseas speech in Germany's Deutsche Welle.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.