The meeting was lengthy and proved to be detailed and constructive.
Mr Putin and Ms Merkel agreed at the meeting that the situation in Ukraine is deteriorating, and noted the necessity for the urgent resumption of work of a contact group, possibly in the form of a videoconference.
The leaders also urged for an urgent ceasefire, the prompt announcement of a prisoner exchange and resumption of peacemaking efforts in Ukraine.
The Russian President expressed the utmost concern over the ongoing actions by the Ukrainian army, emphasising that they are resulting in shells hitting Russian territory and are causing casualties, as in the recent case in the Rostov Region, which is absolutely unacceptable.
The Russian side at the meeting was represented by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office and Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.