Berlin summit talks begin:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun talks in Berlin with the presidents of Russia, France, and Ukraine about the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
The talks at Merkel's office in Berlin on October 19 come after the four leaders held separate meetings about a possible settlement to the conflict between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists.
Earlier on October 19, Russia said it did not expect any breakthrough on resolving the conflict that has killed more than 9,600 people since April 2014.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko also said he did not have "very high expectations."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the aim of the meeting was to identify obstacles to implementing the Minsk peace agreement.
The 2015 accord, brokered in Minsk by France and Germany, has helped end large-scale fighting in eastern Ukraine.
But clashes have continued within increased frequency in recent months and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. (Reuters, AFP, AP)