Putin urges West to condemn Kiev opposition extremists

Vladimir Putin urged the West to condemn Kiev opposition extremists and stop blaming the Ukrainian government. He told it to Angela Merkel by phone, ITAR-TASS reports.

"The state leaders discussed the dramatic events in Ukraine by phone,” the Kremlin press service reported.

Putin and Merkel agreed to continue contacting one another in connection with the issue, the press service informed.

Merkel also mentioned her conversation with Putin. She “informed” Putin about the French Minister for Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius, his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier  and Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski’s visit to Kiev appointed for Thursday, she said.