MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The two leaders discussed "the development of the situation in Ukraine with an emphasis on the need for the parties to the internal Ukrainian conflict to fully implement the Minsk agreements of February 12, 2015," the press service said in a statement.
Merkel and Putin agreed to continue political and diplomatic efforts for Ukraine peace settlement, "first and foremost in the Normandy format [Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine], as well as within the OSCE."
The talk was initiated by Berlin.
Kiev has been conducting a military operation against Donbass independence supporters since spring 2014, when they refused to recognize the new coup-imposed Ukrainian government and declared sovereignty.
The Minsk deal on Ukraine's reconciliation was struck in February 2015 by Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France and later signed by Kiev and the Donbass self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Both warring parties have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce despite agreeing to the ceasefire deal.