"If we call things as they are, we will support the extension of sanctions [against Russia]," Merkel said in her speech broadcast by the Bundestag website.
The chancellor has also expressed concern about the actions of Russia and said that Germany had not accepted Russia's claims to the Sea of Azov.
Before that, on 28 November, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker stated that the United States would like its European allies to consider more closely the possibility of expanding sanctions against Russia due to the incident in the Kerch Strait.
READ MORE: EU Members Lack Common Position on Sanctions Over Kerch Strait Incident — Source
Three ships of the Ukrainian Navy — Berdyansk, Nikopol, and Yany Kapu — breached the Russian border, entered Russian territorial waters that were temporarily closed and began moving toward the Kerch Strait, which serves as the entrance into the Sea of Azov on 25 November. The Ukrainian vessels and their crew were detained by Russia after failing to respond to a lawful demand to stop.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the incident was a provocation prepared in advance as a pretext to introduce martial law. Putin said the provocation could be linked to Poroshenko's low approval ratings ahead of the presidential campaign set to start in late December.
