Germany at the centre of twin European crises, but reluctantly

Berlin

GERMANY has become Europe's indispensable nation, at the centre of crises over Ukraine and Greece. But a country uncomfortable with leadership, often labelled a reluctant hegemon, has had a rocky month.

Chancellor Angela Merkel was praised for trying to revive the Minsk ceasefire deal over Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the effort, thrown together to try to forestall Washington from providing defensive arms to the Ukrainian government, has thus far failed.