Merkel and Putin discuss situation in Belarus

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the political crisis in Belarus over the phone, her spokesman said on Tuesday, Report says.

In a press release, Steffen Seibert said that the two leaders discussed the latest situation in Belarus after the presidential elections on August 9.

“The chancellor has emphasized that the Belarusian government must refrain from using violence against peaceful demonstrators, release political prisoners immediately and initiate a national dialogue with the opposition and society to overcome the crisis,”

EU’s leading nations rejected this week the result of the Belarusian presidential election, as tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets demanding a new, fair presidential election.