German Foreign Ministry to visit Ukraine's capital and south-eastern regions on May 13

17:24, 12.05.2014 1 min read

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to visit Kyiv on May 13.

According to his press secretary, Steinmeier will meet with government officials in Kyiv and travel to the eastern and southern regions of the country to promote dialogue in the deeply divided country, Wall Street Journal reported from Berlin.

Besides, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said that the recently held so-called referendums can't be accepted by the world community.

"Such a vote can't and won't be accepted by the international community. We need steps to deescalate [the tensions] and these referendums certainly weren't steps to deescalate. They will do the opposite," he said.

Seibert said that the Ukrainian presidential elections on May 25 are crucial to help deescalate the tensions in Ukraine.

"Here, we expect Russia in particular to use its considerable influence to help achieve stabilization," he said.