French President Francois Hollande addresses French ambassadors during a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Francois Mori/Pool

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande warned on Tuesday that tensions in Ukraine had worsened in recent months and were at risk of further deteriorating.

Hollande said he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had had contact throughout August with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko.

“This summer, the situation has become much worse. The risks of escalation are high,” Hollande told an annual gathering of French ambassadors.