French president to meet Obama, Putin next week

Francois Hollande and Barack ObamaParis, May 29 - French President Francois Hollande will meet US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week on the eve of anniversary ceremonies of the Allied landing in Normandy.

Hollande will welcome Obama for a meeting at the Elysee Palace June 5 and also receive Russian President Vladimir Putin at his office on the same day, Xinhua reported.

Hollande and Obama have warned Russia against additional "costs" if it continued to "destabilise" Ukraine.

The Kremlin announced Wednesday that the Russian president would "stop in Paris" and "have an informal meeting with the French president at dinner" at the Elysee Palace.

The two leaders "will discuss various multilateral international issues, particularly the Ukrainian crisis", said the Kremlin.

In addition, Hollande has invited president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to the ceremonies commemorating the landing in Normandy June 6. The election of the new president of Ukraine "opens the way for a peaceful exit and political crisis in Ukraine," the Elysee Palace said.

During the World War II, the D Day (June 6, 1944) landings on the Normandy beaches, under the code name Operation Overlord, started the lengthy Battle of Normandy and resulted in the Liberation of Paris and the restoration of the French Republic.

These landings were a significant turning point in the war.(IANS)