BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany played down prospects of a summit with France and Russia on Ukraine taking place soon, after the three countries' leaders discussed the crisis there on Wednesday.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said further work was needed by advisers before any meeting was possible.
A decision about holding a meeting was not taken during Wednesday's three-way telephone call. "The participants agreed that progress on both security issues and political issues would be necessary," Steffen Seibert said in a statement.
Earlier in Paris, the French presidency said a meeting on Ukraine, which would also involve the country's President Petro Poroschenko, could take place soon.
Officials have said it could be hosted in Berlin on Oct. 19 if there was progress on the implementation of the Minsk peace plan that was supposed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
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.