German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Gransee in August 2018 | Omer Messinger/Getty Images Merkel and Putin agree to more talk on Ukraine German chancellor says ‘aggravation’ must be avoided after Sea of Azov flare-up.

BUENOS AIRES — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russia President Vladimir Putin agreed on Saturday to hold further discussions on Russia's recent naval action against Ukrainian ships in the Azov Sea.

Merkel and Putin met for breakfast on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Argentina. Merkel said that she had expressed her unhappiness at Russia’s actions.

"We have spoken about the situation in the Azov Sea, where all sorts of aggravation have to be avoided," Merkel told reporters after her meeting. She added that Putin had "noted with approval" that Russia's seizure of ships and sailors would be further discussed in the four-country Normandy format, which also includes Ukraine and France.

The chancellor particularly stressed the need to guarantee unobstructed sea transport in the region.

The tepid response by the EU and the West to the recent Russian military action has put a spotlight once again on the failure of international pressure to bring an end to the war in eastern Ukraine, which is controlled pro-Russian separatists.

European Council Donald Tusk said that as a result of the recent naval attack, which included the seizure of Ukrainian ships and sailors, he expected existing EU economic sanctions against Russia would be extended when they come up for renewal early next year. But so far the West has been unsuccessful in stopping Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, and in trying to reverse the seizure and annexation of Crimea.