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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Barack Obama agreed in a telephone call Thursday that Russia's actions in easter Ukraine "cannot remain without consequences," after claims that Russian troops are actively involved in fighting in the restive region, AFP reports.
The two leaders said they were concerned over "information about the arrival of new Russian soldiers and Russian military equipment" in the east of Ukraine, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement from Berlin.
"The chancellor and the president agreed... that such behaviour cannot remain without consequences," added the spokesman.
In Washington, Obama said of his Merkel talks: "We agree if there was ever any doubt that Russia is responsible for the violence in eastern Ukraine: the violence is encouraged by Russia; the separatists are trained by Russia; they are armed by Russia. They are funded by Russia."
It comes after Merkel said EU leaders at a summit on Saturday would consider new sanctions against Moscow.
Separately, Washington said it was also considering new sanctions against Russia, with State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki saying that the options would be discussed with NATO allies at a summit next week.
