ROME — For the past month, as Greece once again emerged as a threat to the global economy, a new generation of populist Greek leaders vowed to shatter Europe’s austerity politics in what threatened to become an unbridgeable divide with the European establishment, especially Germany. There were insults, predictions of calamity and accusations of double-dealing and deceit.
Until Tuesday, when, with surprising ease, Greece and Europe suddenly made nice — at least for the moment.
Eurozone finance ministers and other creditors agreed to extend the Greek bailout program for another four months, with caveats, after signing off on a reform plan hurriedly put forward by the Greek government. A tough confrontation that symbolized the polarized politics and deep economic divisions of Europe had taken a Kumbaya pause.
It will probably not last long, and the fact that both sides are claiming victory underscores the fuzziness and fragility of the new agreement. Tuesday’s accord does not resolve Greece’s dire economic situation and pushes many of the major problems down the road. Nor has this latest Greek crisis forced Europe’s leaders to address the fundamental problems of the economic and political structure of the eurozone.
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James Kanter contributed reporting from Brussels, and Niki Kitsantonis from Athens.
A version of this article appears in print on February 25, 2015, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: In Greek Crisis, Rare Moment Of Consensus . Order Reprints| Today’s Paper|Subscribe
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