"If this path is feasible, it will be decided in the next two or three days," Steinmeier told German television yesterday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where the focus was on a peace plan put to Moscow and Kiev by Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.
Steinmeier stressed it was "still too soon" to speculate on the success of the diplomatic initiative, which Hollande has described as "one of the last chances" to halt the 10 month old conflict.
"We hope to succeed in making some progress," Steinmeier said, adding that the crisis was "at a crossroads".