Having plunged into fresh political turmoil when a parliamentary deadlock forced the government in Greece to call a snap general election for January 25, opening the door to a possible victory by the left-wing populist party Syriza, Angela Merkel delivered a powerful warning against populism and prejudice taking root in Europe amid deepening fears about economic stagnation.

Her attack in a New Year broadcast on Europe’s populist parties came precisely after Greece succumbed to ‘‘dangerous’’ populist calls for the government to step down.

Merkel also made an appeal for European Union ‘‘cohesion’’ in the face of Russian aggression, the upsurge of Islamist militancy in the Middle East as well as the urgent need to boost Europe’s economic competitiveness.

On Ukraine, she left the door open for Vladimir Putin to reconsider his actions.

She insisted that Europe ‘‘could not and would not’’ accept Russia’s violation of international law and its denial of Ukraine’s right of self-determination.

Merkel concluded by saying that she wanted ‘‘security in Europe together with Russia and not against Russia!’’

But on his part, the bully from Moscow, Putin, made use of his New Year address to declare that the return of Crimea to Russia ‘‘will forever remain a most important milestone in its national history...’’

For months now, the Russian President Putin has bullied and cajoled Ukraine and the EU and he appears to be poised for even more confrontation.

Though faced with punishing sanctions, and a Russian petro-economy pushed to the brink by plunging oil prices and the wildly deteriorating value of the ruble, Putin remains adamant and ready to face any other tough action by the West.