German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert reiterated Berlin's position on the situation in the Kerch Strait, stating that the government wants to see "dialogue and caution on both sides."
While speaking at a press conference in the German capital on Wednesday, Seibert also added that "a deployment of the German navy toward the Crimea coast is not being planned at the moment," in line with the government's position encouraging de-escalation.
Read alsoTurkey could play role of mediator in settling Ukraine-Russia row in Black-Azov seas region
"It is in the interest of Germany, it is in the interest of Europe, that Ukraine continue to play a role as a transit state for Russian gas," the spokesman also said amid Ukraine's concerns that the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline bypassing Ukraine threatens Ukraine's position of a gas transit state and also threatens the entire European energy security.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called on the European Union to take real steps to stop the "creeping annexation" of the Sea of Azov by the Russian Federation.
