This story is free to read.

Ukraine diplomatic flurry goes into new round in Germany

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, French President Francois Hollande, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pose for a photo during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Talks among the leaders of Russia, France and Germany on a peace initiative for Ukraine ended early Saturday with an announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart would discuss a proposal to end the fighting in a four-way telephone call this weekend.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, French President Francois Hollande, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pose for a photo during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Talks among the leaders of Russia, France and Germany on a peace initiative for Ukraine ended early Saturday with an announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart would discuss a proposal to end the fighting in a four-way telephone call this weekend.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

By Associated Press February 7, 2015 1 min read

MUNICH (AP) – A flurry of diplomacy aimed at calming the conflict in Ukraine will bring German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and other players together at a conference in Germany.

Merkel was to speak Saturday at the Munich Security Conference following a dash to Moscow the previous day with France’s president. She’s due to meet with Poroshenko and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on the sidelines.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also attending the Munich conference. On Sunday, Merkel and the Russian, Ukrainian and French leaders plan a telephone discussion about a possible joint document on implementing a much-violated September peace plan.