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Merkel: Putin wants end to Ukraine unrest

PARIS (AP) — The German chancellor says that she and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to do all they can to end the violence in Ukraine.

Angela Merkel, speaking to reporters during a visit to Paris on Wednesday, said she spoke by telephone with Putin, and "we agreed to continue to do everything so there is no further escalation of violence in Ukraine."

"We have decided to maintain very close contacts with Russia," she said.

Merkel said she informed Putin of the decision to urgently send German, French and Polish foreign ministers to Ukraine.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said earlier that he and his counterparts are traveling to Ukraine to meet with government and opposition figures ahead of an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers on Thursday to consider the possibility of sanctions against those who started the deadly violence in Kiev.