Germany's Merkel in regular touch with Putin on Ukraine, Syria - spokesman

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the war in Syria, a government spokesman said on Friday.

"We've always said that with regard to Syria and Ukraine, Russia plays a significant role," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a regular news conference.

Seibert said he could not predict if further sanctions against Syria would be agreed at an upcoming European Union meeting, but said it was understandable that all options were being considered.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Joseph Nasr)