German Chancellor Angela Merkel gets into a car upon her arrival at Moscow's Vnukovo airport February 6, 2015. (Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin)
Sydney Morning Herald: Angela Merkel faces moment of truth as war and default threaten Europe's unity
After almost a decade as German Chancellor, Angela Merkel faces a moment of truth as a resurgent Russia and fed-up Greeks challenge her blueprint for Europe's future.
As bloodshed in eastern Ukraine escalates and the new Greek government rejects austerity championed by Mrs Merkel, her deliberate leadership style might be reaching the limit of its effectiveness.
WNU Editor: She is meeting President Obama on Monday .... and she will be in Minsk on Wednesday trying her best to broker a Ukraine peace deal on Wednesday .... yup .... she has definitely put her credibility and stature on the line .... but I suspect that events are now already out of her control. Greece is broke and they are determined to not pay their debts regardless of what the EU and other lenders may say and/or threaten. On Ukraine .... I have always hoped for a peaceful resolution .... but even I have trouble seeing it happen now. Too many people have been killed, and the anger in the eastern part of Ukraine against the rest of Ukraine for the war is overwhelming .... there is little if any desire to come to some form of reconciliation with Kiev .... and even if Putin threatens the pro-Russian rebel leaders and commanders to obey Moscow .... I am willing to bet that many of them will be reluctant to listen and/or obey him .... even more so to what the German Chancellor may say. But I give German Chancellor Merkel credit for trying .... her intentions are to keep the peace in Europe and to impose German financial discipline on government expenditures within the EU .... but there is now a point where she may have to re-evaluate her goals and vision .... not because they are wrong .... it is just that some countries are now determined to go down their own path.
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