Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, of France Francois Hollande and Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel reached a consensus that Trilateral Contact Group format is the best possible way to implement the Minsk Agreements.

The three leaders discussed these issues during a telephone talk on Wednesday, the president's press service said.

"The parties have discussed the situation in the Donbas and the ways of its peaceful settlement. The interlocutors have emphasized that the Trilateral Contact Group was an optimal format for negotiations on the implementation of the Minsk agreements signed by all the parties including Russia," the press service reported.

Besides, the parties have expressed belief that the immediate bilateral ceasefire and the liberation of hostages should become the next steps in the peaceful settlement. "Further actions should provide for the withdrawal of troops and heavy armament from the delimitation line laid down in the Minsk memorandum of September 19, 2014," the report said.

Hollande and Merkel have assured of the readiness to further coordinate efforts aimed at the continuation of dialogue at the highest level in the Normandy format.