The leaders of France, Germany and Russia discussed on a telephone call on Wednesday what needed to be done to ensure a summit on the Ukraine crisis could take place soon, the French presidency said in a statement.

 

The statement said that President Francois Hollande, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed "on the necessity that such a meeting should be constructive and useful with the perspective of ending the crisis in Ukraine."

 

Officials have said a meeting between the three leaders and Ukrainian President Petro Poroschenko could take place in Berlin on Oct. 19 if there was progress on the implementation of the Minsk peace plan.

 

Merkel and Hollande are due to speak with Poroschenko on Thursday and diplomats from all sides will meet in Minsk Thursday and Friday, the French presidency said.