Russia offered support in effort to free OSCE monitors: Germany

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday welcomed an offer of support from his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, to help efforts to free Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitors held in eastern Ukraine. Steinmeier told reporters that Lavrov had offered his backing during a telephone call earlier in the day. "I very much welcome the fact that all three promised their help," said Steinmeier, adding he had spoken to Lavrov, Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk and Switzerland's Didier Burkhalter, who currently chairs the OSCE. Steinmeier said he had sought help from all three. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Madeline Chambers)