War 'a few steps away'

Ukraine is close to war, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned in interviews published in four European newspapers on Tuesday.

"The bloody pictures from Odessa have shown us that we are just a few steps away from a military confrontation," Steinmeier told El Pais, Le Monde, La Repubblica and Gazeta Wyborcza. He added that the conflict had taken on an intensity "that a short time ago we would not have considered possible".

Steinmeier's ministry also warned Germans on Tuesday against traveling to Crimea, and reiterated an earlier advisory to avoid eastern areas. The ministry added that it was advising against any travel to eastern and southern Ukraine. It also urged German citizens to leave those regions and said journalists were in particular danger.

"The situation in the east and south of Ukraine is extremely tense at the moment," it said. "There are an increased number of armed occupations of state buildings ... incidents of foreigners being held."

Reuters