German chancellor meets Russian FM to discuss Syria

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Berlin on Tuesday to discuss recent developments in the Middle East and Syria, officials said.

Lavrov and Russia’s military chief Valery Gerasimov paid an unannounced visit to Berlin, after their meetings with Israeli counterparts in Tel-Aviv on Monday.

“The talks largely focused on the situation in the Middle East and especially in Syria. The conflict in eastern Ukraine was also discussed,” Germany’s deputy government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said.

She noted that the meeting was agreed upon last week by Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also attended the meeting.