President Obama spoke today by phone with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to discuss the recent upsurge in violence in eastern Ukraine resulting from increased attacks by combined Russian-separatist forces across the Line of Contact.  President Obama noted Ukraine’s progress in implementing its obligations under the Minsk agreements, and reiterated that Russia must do the same.  President Obama also expressed his appreciation of the Chancellor’s leadership in working to address the migration crisis in Europe, in particular her recent decision to ease the burden on border countries by providing haven to Syrian refugees.