Angela Merkel

Germany wants to help Britain with its proposals to reform the European Union and is confident a solution can be found, Angela Merkel has said.

The German chancellor confirmed she had spoken to David Cameron about his proposals by phone on Monday.

"I know of the demands, so what is on the table now is no surprise," she said at a press conference alongside South African President Jacob Zuma.

"We want to take a solution-orientated approach to dealing with these proposals."

"There are some difficult points, and some less difficult points.

"But if one has a spirit of wanting to solve this then I have a certain confidence that this can work out."

Many Greeks have reacted angrily to news of the deal agreed by eurozone leaders, with many directing their anger at the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and especially towards finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

Newspapers laced the morning's headlines with references to World War Two and railed against what they see as Berlin's attempts to humiliate Greece.

In particular, Greeks bristled at Schaeuble's proposal, which was not included in the final deal, for a temporary Greek exit from the euro zone, which many saw as tantamount to expulsion by stealth.

A poster depicting a defaced image of Schaeuble on the wall of a Eurobank branch in Athens highlighted the anger felt by some on the streets of Greece.

Greece has received a "generous offer" for a bailout, according to the German chancellor, in a speech.

She also said that if the Greek government wants more talks after this weekend's referendum, she will not say no.

David Cameron is to round off his whirlwind tour of major European leaders with a crucial meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Prime Minister is looking to build support for his plans to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership of the EU, and he'll need the agreement of the German premier if he is to have any hope of success.

However, there has been little sign of enthusiasm for treaty change. France and Germany have reportedly agreed that closer integration of the eurozone countries can be achieved without altering treaties - potentially reducing Britain's leverage.

This morning Mr Cameron will be in Warsaw for talks with Polish counterpart Ewa Kopacz, before heading for Berlin to see Mrs Merkel.

Greece has promised to speed up implementing its extended bailout agreement and send a full list of detailed reform proposals to its eurozone partners, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said.

Following an overnight mini-summit with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, French President Francois Hollande and heads of the main EU institutions, Merkel said euro-area finance ministers are ready to meet soon to evaluate the reform plans.

However, she declined to set any date for releasing further aid to the cash-strapped Greek government, saying that depended on a positive evaluation of the reform proposals.

Russian aggression in Ukraine has only reinforced the unity of the US and Europe, President Barack Obama has declared.

Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have been holding talks about the prospects of reviving an elusive peace plan to end the conflict.

But while the talking continues, so does the killing in eastern Ukraine.

ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore reports:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there have been "setbacks" to reaching a diplomatic solution with Russia on the situation in eastern Ukraine.

However, Germany does not see a military solution to the Ukraine crisis, Merkel said during a press conference at the White House.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived at the White House to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine with US President Barack Obama.