Germany calls for recovery of lost confidence between Russia and the West

The German foreign minister on Thursday called for the recovery of lost confidence between the West and Russia, as a meeting between member countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) kicked off in Potsdam.

Some 40 foreign ministers from OSCE member states met in Potsdam, East Germany, for talks that touched on the ongoing situation in Ukraine, violations of the current ceasefire in the country’s East and arms control.

German Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier underlined the importance of dialogue in the face of crises and international conflicts.

He also highlighted the importance of the OSCE _which Germany is presiding over_ in maintaining peace on the continent.

Absent from the meeting were Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia, and John Kerry, US Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Although no concrete agreements were expected to be reached at the talks, topics ranging from international terrorism to the evolution of the refugee crisis were discussed.