Aust, Japan, US rebuke Putin over Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin faces further pressure of the Ukraine crisis with Australia, Japan and the US issuing joint condemnation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Australia, Japan and the United States have jointly condemned Russia over the Ukraine crisis. (AAP)

Australia, Japan and the United States have jointly condemned Russia over the Ukraine crisis.

The statement followed a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Abbott, US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brisbane.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was already feeling the heat at the summit over the Ukraine issue, with European leaders flagging a possible new range of sanctions as early as next week.

"The three leaders resolved to tackle pressing issues such as ... opposing Russia's purported annexation of Crimea and its actions to destabilise eastern Ukraine, and bringing to justice those responsible for the downing of Flight MH17," the US, Australian and Japanese leaders said in a statement.

Mr Abbott this week revealed he had told Mr Putin that Russia would be more attractive if it was aspiring to be a superpower for peace and freedom rather than "trying to recreate the lost glories of Tsarism or the old Soviet Union".

The Russian leader is expected to head to his plane before Mr Abbott's releases the final communique at a media conference after lunch on Sunday.

Russia has denied involvement in escalating military activity in Ukraine.

However, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the "very best intelligence sources" showed the surface-to-air missile that shot down MH17 was "brought in from Russia".

"President Putin is clearly seeking to demonstrate that Russia is still a power to be reckoned with," she said.

"If it wants to be taken seriously, and if it wants to maintain its status as a significant economy, a significant nation, then it has to abide by the international norms."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper confronted Mr Putin during the summit saying: "I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine."

The US President, who offered his personal sympathies to the families of the 38 Australians who died in the MH17 disaster, said Russian aggression against Ukraine threatened the world.

Mr Putin was awkwardly placed on the outer edge of the official leaders' "family photo" on Saturday.

A spokesman for Mr Putin said Mr Abbott had been a hospitable host.

British Prime Minister David Cameron told the Russian leader in a meeting that relations with Russia would deteriorate if troops remained in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Australian protesters have been prominent outside the summit, calling for an end to the "murderous acts".


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