1st LD: Obama says U.S.-EU unity reinforced on Ukraine crisis

U.S. President Barack Obama said Monday that Ukraine crisis had reinforced unity of the United States and its European allies while he did not rule out possibility of providing lethal weapons to the Ukrainian forces, an act opposed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"There maybe some areas where there are tactical disagreements, " said Obama at a joint press conference in the White House with Merkel, referring to the possible shift of U.S. previous policy of not arming Ukrainian forces. "Not just Ukraine, but the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty is one where we are completely unified."

However, Obama left open the prospect that if diplomatic solutions fail to work, Washington would send lethal defensive weapons to the Ukrainian forces. "Now, it is true that if, diplomacy fails, what I've asked my team to do is to look at all options." Endite