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President Obama acknowledged Monday that he is considering arming Ukraines military if a diplomatic push fails to yield a cease-fire with Russia-backed separatists, but he sounded skeptical that sending weapons would defuse the conflict that has killed more than 5,000 people.

In a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Obama said that months of diplomacy and economic sanctions had not turned Russian President Vladimir Putin from following the course that he is on. But Obama also was wary of the most-discussed alternative: sending weapons to the outgunned Ukrainian army.

Can we be certain that any lethal aid that we provide Ukraine is used properly, doesn't fall into the wrong hands, does not lead to over-aggressive actions that can't be sustained by the Ukrainians? Obama said. What kinds of reactions does it prompt, not simply from the separatists, but from the Russians? Those are all issues that have to be considered.

The measure by which I make these decisions is, Is it more likely to be effective than not?

The president said he had not decided whether to arm Ukraine and tried to emphasize that, for now, the West is united behind sanctions and another round of negotiations. The leaders of Russia and Ukraine are slated to meet, along with their French and German counterparts, for more talks Wednesday in Belarus.

Despite the professed unity, the question of arming Ukraine has revealed increasing divisions among Western allies. Some key officials, including Obamas pick to be the next Defense secretary, have said they are open to sending arms to help Ukraine push back against the separatists. Merkel, however, has been unequivocal in her opposition to such a plan.

Merkel said Monday that she plans to put all our efforts in bringing about a diplomatic solution.

The leaders vowed that they would not stand idle and simply allow the borders of Europe to be redrawn at the barrel of the gun, Obama said.

Obama and Merkel met privately for a series of discussions initially aimed at sketching out an agenda for the Group of 7 summit of world leaders in Germany in June. But the escalating crisis in Ukraine dominated the morning talks, Obama said.

Despite a steadily ramped-up regimen of sanctions that have helped to weaken his countrys economy, Putin has for months rejected calls to withdraw support for separatist groups fighting to join Russia in eastern Ukraine.

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Obama says he is considering arming Ukraine but appears reluctant