AKIPRESS.COM - U.S. President Barack Obama is consulting with two of his most important European allies – Britain and France – as they navigate shifting conditions in the Ukraine crisis now that a new government is coming to power, Star Tribune reports.

Obama plans to meet Thursday with British Prime Minister David Cameron in Brussels, then hop a short flight to Paris for dinner with French President Francois Hollande. He was seated in between the two as world leaders gathered first at an EU conference center for the Group of 7 summit.

The U.S. and Europe started out showing solidarity against Vladimir Putin by levying sanctions against the Russian President. But diverging approaches are emerging now that European leaders are planning separate, private meetings with Putin in Paris while Obama is steering clear of him.

Hollande said Thursday that it's up to Obama whether he wants to meet with Putin and noted that both men would be at events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy Friday, along with other leaders.

The changing dynamic in Ukraine has raised questions across the West about how to proceed. The allies had warned Russia that disrupting Ukraine's May 25 presidential vote would trigger even harsher sanctions, but businessman Petro Poroshenko's victory has made Western leaders more optimistic. Obama praised Poroshenko effusively after meeting him for the first time this week in Poland ahead of his inauguration Saturday.

Obama foreign policy adviser Ben Rhodes said G-7 leaders would discuss the future approach on sanctions during their meetings.

While Obama avoided scheduling a meeting with Putin, it remained unclear whether Poroshenko and Putin would meet.