BERLIN — The French and German foreign ministers are making a joint visit to Moldova and Georgia, former Soviet republics that have breakaway regions with Russian-speaking populations, as tensions simmer over Russia's intentions in Ukraine.
Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier and France's Laurent Fabius were heading Wednesday for the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. The trip — which also will take them to Tunisia, one of the European Union's southern neighbors — was conceived at the beginning of the year as part of an effort to reinvigorate foreign policy ties between Berlin and Paris.
Steinmeier says Germany and France "take very seriously the deep anxiety" with which their eastern partners view the situation in Ukraine.
The EU is pushing ahead with association agreements with Moldova and Georgia.
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