Germany's foreign minister says the situation in eastern Ukraine is "explosive" and that urgent talks must be held to prevent "a new military escalation spiral."
Frank-Walter Steinmeier made the comments in an interview published on August 16 in the Bild Am Sonntag.
Steinmeier said he has proposed that representatives of Kyiv and the Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine meet immediately with representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for talks on reducing tensions.
A cease-fire deal signed in Minsk in February has eased the violence somewhat, but both sides claim violations on a daily basis.
About 6,400 people have been killed since the violence erupted last year.
