Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Western leaders for the first time since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis when he attends a World War Two anniversary in France next month, the Russian ambassador to Paris said

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Western leaders for the first time since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis when he attends a World War Two anniversary in France next month, the Russian ambassador to Paris said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among those due to attend the June 6 ceremony in Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings that helped turn the tide of the war against Nazi Germany.

Ambassador Alexander Orlov confirmed Putin's planned attendance in comments to BFM television, after France's president and defence minister both said the Russian leader - accused by the West of destabilising neighbouring Ukraine - was still welcome to come.

"I have told Vladimir Putin, as representative of the Russian people, that he is welcome to attend the ceremony," President Francois Hollande said.