Push to cancel Putin’s G20 invite stepped up

TONY Abbott will discuss with international leaders whether Vladimir Putin should be barred from the G20 summit in Brisbane.

TONY Abbott will discuss with international leaders whether Vladimir Putin should be barred from the G20 summit in Brisbane because of Russia’s renewed “invasion” of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said yesterday NATO satellite images showing 1000 heavily armed Russian troops moving into Ukraine appeared to be evidence of an absolutely clear-cut case of a larger country bullying a smaller country.

Asked if Mr Putin should be allowed to attend the G20 summit in November, Mr Abbott said that because the Russian leader would be coming for a critical international gathering, that was not a decision Australia had a right to make unilaterally.

“Nevertheless, it is an important question and it’s one that I’ll be weighing and I suspect a number of other countries will be weighing in the weeks ahead.”

He said he would discuss the issue with other G20 leaders.

Bill Shorten said the Russians were clearly involved in the latest Ukrainian violence “up to their eyeballs” and he had great reservations about Mr Putin coming to Australia for the G20.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Russia had clearly breached international law and Australia would consider what action it could take to send a very strong message to its leaders.

Mr Abbott also said Russia clearly had considerable responsibility for the destruction of Flight MH17.

“It’s almost indubitable that the weapon used to commit this atrocity was Russian supplied,” he said. “So, it was a weapon that was fired by Russian-backed rebels from what was effectively Russian-controlled territory — a Russian-supplied weapon, Russian-backed rebels, Russian-controlled territory. Obviously, Russia has a very heavy share of responsibility.”

America’s former top diplomat in Asia and Iraq, Christopher Hill, said Mr Putin’s actions in the Ukraine had, in effect, triggered a new Cold War. The international community could not ignore it.

“I think it represents a failure of 25 years of trying to incorporate Russia into the international community,” he said.