Merkel, Hollande, Putin discussed situation in Donbas

Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande discussed the escalation of the conflict in the Donbas.

Censor.NET reports referring to Kremlin's press service.

"Mr Putin, Ms Merkel, and Mr Hollande continued their discussion on the crisis in southeast Ukraine, stressed the need for full and strict implementation of the Feb. 12, 2015 Minsk agreements and noted the importance of preventing any further escalation of the situation... Russia's president reiterated that a political and diplomatic settlement of the internal Ukrainian conflict in accordance with the Minsk agreement's provisions was the only possible option," the statement reads.

"The three leaders affirmed their common desire to activate negotiation efforts on Ukraine, especially through the Normandy format and the Contact Group," the Kremlin notes.

The three leaders also exchanged views on the outcome of the NATO summit in Warsaw and expressed mutual desire to pursue constructive dialogue and take concrete steps to strengthen confidence between Russia and NATO.