Financial Times: Merkel at the G8, and her row with Ukraine
Angela Merkel has not had a good weekend. She was close to being isolated at the Group of Eight summit. Barack Obama, François Hollande and David Cameron all ratcheted up the pressure on Germany to go for “growth” in Europe. This the Germans suspect, with some reason, is code for pouring more German money into southern Europe, tolerating higher inflation and monkeying around with European Central Bank independence.
What with the euro and the G8, Merkel has more than enough to worry about on the international stage. But, right now, she is also having a row with Ukraine. Once again, there is a football angle, since the Ukrainians are about to co-host the European championships. But the argument is actually about human rights and, more specifically, about the Ukrainian government’s treatment of Yulia Tymoshenko – the former prime minister, who has allegedly been beaten up in prison.
Read more here.
What with the euro and the G8, Merkel has more than enough to worry about on the international stage. But, right now, she is also having a row with Ukraine. Once again, there is a football angle, since the Ukrainians are about to co-host the European championships. But the argument is actually about human rights and, more specifically, about the Ukrainian government’s treatment of Yulia Tymoshenko – the former prime minister, who has allegedly been beaten up in prison.
Read more here.