US may provide 'lethal defensive arms' to Ukraine if diplomacy fails to resolve conflict

United States President Barack Obama has reportedly said that he is mulling the option of providing lethal defensive arms to Ukraine if diplomacy fails to end the Ukraine crisis.

After meeting German chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Monday to discuss the progress made in Franco-German efforts to revive last year's Minsk peace plan, he said that Moscow had violated "every commitment" made in the failed Minsk agreement, reported the BBC.

Obama has come under intense pressure from senior US officials to provide arms to Ukraine, despite objections from Merkel.

Meanwhile, four-way dialogue between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France is set to take place at Belarus's capital Minsk on Wednesday to discuss a new peace plan.

The latest diplomatic efforts come amid fresh clashes between the pro-Russia rebels and Ukrainian government troops around the strategic railway hub of Debaltseve.

Russia has denied accusations of providing military support to rebels.

The government said that nine soldiers and about seven civilians were killed in fighting over the last 24 hours.

The conflict has already killed more than 5,300 people and displaced 1.5 million people from their homes.