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Merkel shaking fit raises health fears

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s body has been seen shaking as she welcomed new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Germany, raising concerns about her health.

While she waited with Mr Zelensky for the German Armed Forces’ honour formation and the two countries’ national anthems to play to pass in temperatures of about 30 degrees, her legs and body began to tremble.

When she then walked the formation with the President, the trembling had visibly subsided.

At a media conference about an hour later, Ms Merkel dismissed concerns for her health, suggesting she was dehydrated.

“Since then I have drunk at least three glasses of water – I obviously needed that and so I’m doing very well now,” she said.

As everyone could see, she was feeling very well again, the Chancellor added.

Mr Zelensky, the comedian turned president, who was standing next to Ms Merkel during the shaking incident, said: “She was standing next to me and completely safe.”

The 64-year-old Chancellor has shown such trembling on similar occasions before – with dehydration during hot weather also being blamed at those times.

It is not publicly known if she has any health problems. But she did postpone a 2014 television interview at the last minute, after reported weakness.

Ms Merkel, who turns 65 in July, is in her fourth term as German Chancellor. She has already said she will step down when it runs out in 2021.

-with AAP

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