Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “contribute” to the release of the OSCE inspects, today, which are kept by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

During a telephone conversation “Merkel asked Putin to contribute to the liberation of military observers being detained in southeastern Ukraine and who come from European countries, including Germany”, noted the Kremlin in a news release.

On his part, Vladimir Putin told Angela Merkel that the withdrawal of Ukrainian military units from southeastern Ukraine, the ending of the violence and the beginning of a dialogue are key international issues, according to the Kremlin.