Speaking on Ukrainian state television, President Petro Poroshenko said he turned to Berlin
after the Kremlin failed to respond to his request for dialogue.
"Immediately at night, I ordered a phone conversation with the President of Russia Putin.
We did not receive response and I had to address to the German Chancellor so that she can talk
to Putin on immediate release of Ukrainian servicemen and Ukrainian ships."
Poroshenko also said the authorities would take all necessary steps to release the Ukrainian
sailors detained on Sunday when Russia seized three vessels off the Crimean coast.
Captured sailors appeared in a Russian court, and were charged with unlawfully entering
the country, carrying weapons.
They face up to six years in jail.
Earlier other sailors were shown on Russian television, saying they had deliberately entered
Russian waters as a provocation.
Kiev denounced what it described as forced confessions
Moscow accuses Kyiv of sparking the sea skirmish to boost support ahead of an election.
Most probably this provocation took place in order to achieve certain political decisions
which are beneficial for the current President of Ukraine."
Ukraine accuses Russia of illegally capturing its ships and sailors off the coast of Crimea.
President Petro Poroshenko now claims Moscow is preparing for an invasion.
Together with the country's parliament, he has imposed martial law in the regions bordering
Russia for 30 days.
"Fundamentally the whole martial law is about getting resources together and for everybody
here in Ukraine to understand his or her place when the Russians come further."
President Poroshenko insisted the measures won't interfere with elections scheduled for
March.
But his decree is causing concern and confusion in the capital Kyiv.
For Ukrainians, it's unclear what changes martial law will bring.
After a four-year stand-off with Russia, peace seems
a distant outcome.