Angela Merkel shakes uncontrollably during ceremony welcoming Ukraine president, blames it on being 'just a bit dehydrated'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she was "just a bit dehydrated" from the heat after concerns were raised about her health following an official ceremony where she was seen trembling uncontrollably.
As she stood in the midday sun in Berlin on Tuesday next to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, Merkel appeared unsteady and shaking. The incident occurred moments before she welcomed the Ukranian leader to her office building with military honors, Daily Mail reports.
Merkel pursed her lips and tried to control her body from violently shaking in the sweltering 82F heat while standing next to the foreign leader. In the background, the military band played their national anthems just outside the chancellery.
However, Merkel seemed a lot better following the anthems. She effortlessly walked along the red carpet with Zelenskiy as they entered the building before pausing to greet the band and taking a salute.
At a presser about 90 minutes later, a reporter asked the German chancellor about her well being. "Since then I've drunk at least three glasses of water, which I apparently needed, and now I'm doing very well," Merkel responded, smiling broadly.
Meanwhile, Zelensky cheered up the situation by joking he would have come to her rescue if it was needed. "She was standing next to me and completely safe," he told of Merkel, who turns 65 next month.
Addressing a joint press conference about an hour after their meeting, Merkel said the duo had discussed the Minsk peace process along with several other bilateral issues during Zelensky's first visit to Germany as president.
However, this was not the first time Merkel was seen shaking under the hot sun, per the DPA German news agency. While the report did not give a specific date for the incident, the reason listed was not drinking enough water.
In 2014, Merkel postponed a television interview at the last minute after she was reportedly feeling weak. However, she was able to carry out the same sometime later after getting something to eat and drink, her spokesman said at the time.
While it is unclear if Merkel has any health problems, it is also widely accepted that privacy laws in Germany are very strict on that of type information being published by media outlets.
Merkel, who has led Germany since 2005, is frequently regarded as the European Union's most influential leader and the most powerful woman in the world. She has previously stated she will leave politics after her current term, which ends in 2021.