Merkel and Putin discussed the situation in the Kerch Strait

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the initiative of the German side discussed a situation in the Kerch Strait and the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after 2019 during a telephone conversation. “The situation in the Kerch Strait was at the center of negotiations. The Chancellor stressed that it was necessary to take measures for the unimpeded passage of ships”, said the government spokesperson of Germany Steffen Seibert. The Kremlin press service says that Mr. Putin and Mrs. Merkel expressed “mutual interest in preventing escalation in the waters of the Azov and Black seas and in resolving the problems stemming from the provocative actions of the Ukrainian authorities”. The parties also discussed issues related to the Syrian crisis and the situation in the area of strategic security in light of the U.S. administration’s intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Source: kommersant