World Bulletin / News Desk

Germany's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that current situation in Ukraine's Donbas is "explosive" and that talks have to be held urgently in order to prevent "a new military escalation spiral."

Steinmeier made the comments in an interview published on August 16 in the Bild Am Sonntag.

Steinmeier said he has proposed that representatives of Kyiv and the Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine meet immediately with representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for talks on reducing tensions.

A cease-fire deal signed in Minsk in February has eased the violence somewhat, but both sides claim violations on a daily basis.

About 6,400 people have been killed since the violence erupted last year.