Putin, Merkel discuss Middle East, Ukraine by phone

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the Middle East and Ukraine during a phone call, the Kremlin said Friday.

The leaders discussed implementing the agreements reached at an international conference on Libya in Berlin earlier this month, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin noted the need to coordinate with the Libyan parties at the conference, which is important for later support by the United Nations Security Council, according to the statement.

Both sides emphasized the importance of ensuring a stable regime to end hostilities and launch a political dialogue.

Putin and Merkel also discussed the situations in Ukraine and Syria as well as the plan for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict recently proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.