Berlin, Dhu-AlQa'dah 09, 1436, August 24, 2015, SPA -- The Ukraine crisis returned to Europe's political stage on Monday when Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met German and French leaders in Berlin to consider steps to end the grinding conflict, now in its 16th month, dpa reported. The talks between Poroshenko, Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande were focused on ways to maintain a fragile ceasefire deal hammered out in Minsk in February by withdrawing arms and allowing monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) access to the conflict. Underlining the importance of the so-called Normandy format comprising Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France, Merkel expressed concerns about the fact that the work of OSCE monitors and equipment had been disrupted. "The OSCE has to be able to monitor the conflict, but there have been attacks and its monitors' movements restricted. Its drones have not been able to fly because of repeated disruptions," said Merkel. "Their ability to do their job is paramount." She also pointed to democratic elections in Ukraine, trade between Ukraine and Russia, the release of prisoners of war, and the deployment of humanitarian aid as problems that have yet to be resolved through further talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend the Berlin meeting, but Merkel said he had been consulted via telephone. --SPA 22:21 LOCAL TIME 19:21 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w