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But if Putin fails to agree, the rest of the Group of Eight most industrialised nations could even go ahead with a statement on Syria without Russia, which was only admitted to the group in 1998.
A Downing Street official said Cameron believed this G8 summit would be a "clarifying moment" on the international community's position on Syria, where the civil war is now in its third year.
Officials said the rest of the G8 -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan -- were united on the course of action to end the violence.
Russia however continues to back the regime of its top ally, Syrian President Bashar-al Assad.
British officials said Cameron had drawn up five key areas for discussion on which he thought there could be progress with Putin in terms of formulating a statement for the end of the summit.
The result of the summit would be "clarifying just what commitment Russia is prepared to make in a leading international forum."
The five areas were humanitarian access, tackling the growing problem of Islamist extremists in Syria, chemical weapons, looking at the first days of a transition on the model of Libya, and the form of a new "executive authority" after the transition and who it would include.
The issue of arming the rebels and of a possible no-fly zone were not expected to play a major role in the discussion at the dinner, the officials said.
The leaders were meeting without officials or aides at a lakeside lodge. There was a fireside for chats, and a traditional Irish bar with Guinness on tap for the leaders if they chose.
The menu featured crab, prawn and avocado salad; roast fillet and braised shin of beef with violet artichokes, new potatoes and seasonal vegetables; and apple crumble with whiskey custard, according to a menu tweeted by Cameron himself.
The dinner came just hours after Barack Obama and Putin openly admitted having sharply opposing views on Syria, while pledging to try to keep alive a bid to hold a peace conference in Geneva.
Just days earlier the White House signalled it would begin arming rebels battling Assad.
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A Downing Street official said Cameron believed this G8 summit would be a "clarifying moment" on the international community's position on Syria, where the civil war is now in its third year.
Officials said the rest of the G8 -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan -- were united on the course of action to end the violence.
Russia however continues to back the regime of its top ally, Syrian President Bashar-al Assad.
British officials said Cameron had drawn up five key areas for discussion on which he thought there could be progress with Putin in terms of formulating a statement for the end of the summit.
The result of the summit would be "clarifying just what commitment Russia is prepared to make in a leading international forum."
The five areas were humanitarian access, tackling the growing problem of Islamist extremists in Syria, chemical weapons, looking at the first days of a transition on the model of Libya, and the form of a new "executive authority" after the transition and who it would include.
The issue of arming the rebels and of a possible no-fly zone were not expected to play a major role in the discussion at the dinner, the officials said.
The leaders were meeting without officials or aides at a lakeside lodge. There was a fireside for chats, and a traditional Irish bar with Guinness on tap for the leaders if they chose.
The menu featured crab, prawn and avocado salad; roast fillet and braised shin of beef with violet artichokes, new potatoes and seasonal vegetables; and apple crumble with whiskey custard, according to a menu tweeted by Cameron himself.
The dinner came just hours after Barack Obama and Putin openly admitted having sharply opposing views on Syria, while pledging to try to keep alive a bid to hold a peace conference in Geneva.
Just days earlier the White House signalled it would begin arming rebels battling Assad.
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