DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

What started in the United States over a year ago has swept across the Atlantic and has engulfed Western Europe, becoming an international problem, which many feel needs an international solution. European Union leaders sought a common response to the crisis to send a message of reassurance, but one after another, individual nations went their separate ways with corporate bail-outs and support of bank accounts.

Until a week ago, German leaders disputed that they would be affected by the crisis, but by Monday, they could no longer deny the global enmeshments of the system.

Reporter: Nancy Isenson