Independent investigators could soon be at the site of the MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine after Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had a “constructive” discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The two chatted for about half an hour on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe meeting in Milan, the first high-level discussion between Australia and Russia since Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he would “shirt” the Russian president at the G20 meeting next month.
When asked if she had followed up the Prime Minister’s threat, Bishop laughed and said no.
“I had a very long discussion with him,” said Bishop. “I begged him to use the Russian influence on the separatists in eastern Ukraine to give our investigators access to the crash site.”
Putin responded “very constructively” to a request to ensure access to Dutch, Malaysian and Australian investigators, she said.
She added that experts needed another visit to a specific area of the crash site to look for remains.
“It’s going to be pretty urgent because of course the Ukrainian winter is coming [soon],” She said.
A Russian political adviser reportedly told Bishop that the Brisbane trip was on Putin’s schedule and implicitly confirmed his appearance at next month’s G20 meeting.
At the Asia-Europe meeting, Bishop offered funds to the United Nations to help fight Ebola.
She also spoke to officials from countries where infected Australians could be brought in for treatment.
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