German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that EU foreign ministers will be meeting to consider further sanctions against Russia over its failure to help the crisis in the Ukraine.
Merkel spoke with Vladimir Putin on Friday. According to Reuters, Merkel said, "I spoke to the Russian president this morning and made clear again that on the one hand Ukraine has taken a whole series of steps to implement the Geneva accord but on the other side I see no Russian backing for the accord which would of course have an effect on the separatists in Ukraine."
Merkel expressed in her conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he had a lack of commitment to take part in the Geneva deal. A number of steps are in place in Kiev. She believes that Russia could "put the separatists in Ukraine on a peaceful path of constitutional discussion and election preparation," according to the Associated Press.
As the Ukraine is preparing the May 25 presidential election, Merkel said it's important to pursue diplomacy. But she said a new round sanctions also must be considered. Merkel said the EU foreign ministers will meet "as soon as possible" to consider those measures.