Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel expressed concern about the escalation of hostilities in Libya and emphasised that a speedy ceasefire and launch of intra-Libyan negotiations under the auspices of the UN were essential. The Russian side gave a positive assessment of Egypt’s mediation efforts to peacefully settle the Libyan crisis, following on from the decisions of the Berlin International Conference held on January 19 of this year.

Key aspects of developments in Syria, including those related to the humanitarian needs of the population of the republic, were also discussed.