Russia ties compound German dilemma in Ukraine crisis

BERLIN (Reuters) - Heavily dependent on Russian gas and closer to Moscow than any other leading western nation, Germany faces a major policy dilemma as the Ukraine crisis descends into a Cold War-style confrontation of tit-for-tat threats and ultimatums.

For weeks, Chancellor Angela Merkel and her three-month old coalition government have gone out of their way to avoid antagonising Vladimir Putin, remaining measured even as Washington and other capitals ratcheted up the rhetoric.