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 Ukraine has accused Russia of sending soldiers and weapons to help
separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine launch a new offensive in a
conflict that has killed more than 4,000 people.
British Prime Minister David Cameron blasted Russia's actions as
unacceptable on Friday, warning that they could draw greater
sanctions from the United States and the European Union.
"If Russia takes a positive approach toward Ukraine's freedom and
responsibility, we could see those sanctions removed, if Russia
continues to make matters worse then we could see those sanctions
increased, it's as simple as that," Cameron told reporters in
Canberra.
Russia denies sending troops and tanks into Ukraine.
But increasing violence, truce violations and reports of unmarked
armed convoys traveling from the direction of the Russian border
have aroused fears that a shaky Sept. 5 truce could collapse.
In an interview with Russian state news agency TASS, Putin said the
sanctions harmed Russia, but also the global economy. He said he
would not bring up the issue at G20 as "it'll make no sense".
 He was not asked about Ukraine in the interview.
The G20 leaders summit in Brisbane is focused on boosting world
growth, fireproofing the global banking system and closing tax
loopholes for giant multinationals.
But with much of the economic agenda agreed and a climate change
deal signed last week in Beijing between the United States and
China, security concerns are moving to center-stage.
Ukraine has not been a top focus during a pair of summits in Asia
this week, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said,
although President Barack Obama did raise it briefly with Putin when
both attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in China.
Obama arrives in Brisbane on Saturday and will be discussing his
frustration over Ukraine with a key bloc including German Chancellor
Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Cameron.
"They've been key toward sending a shared message to the Russians
and the Ukrainian government," Rhodes told reporters. "So it will be
an opportunity for him to check in with them."
CONSENSUS TO ALLOW PUTIN
There had been some calls in Australia to block Putin from attending
the summit given Russia's actions in Ukraine and the downing of
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 by Russian-backed rebels, but the
overwhelming consensus was against it.
News reports that a convoy of Russian warships had arrived earlier
this week in international waters north of Brisbane also created a
flutter.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it was unusual but not
unprecedented for the Russian navy to be so far south.
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"Let’s not forget that Russia has been much more militarily
assertive in recent times," he said on Thursday. "We're seeing,
regrettably, a great deal of Russian assertiveness right now in
Ukraine."
"Russia would be so much more attractive if it was aspiring to be a
superpower for peace and freedom and prosperity, instead of trying
to recreate the lost glories of Tsarism or the old Soviet Union,"
Abbot said on Friday.
Merkel, speaking to reporters in Auckland, played down any threat
posed by the warships but joined the leaders speaking out against
Putin ahead of his arrival in Brisbane on Friday evening.
"What is concerning me quite more is that the territorial integrity
of Ukraine is being violated and that the agreement of Minsk is not
followed," she said, referring to the truce accord.
As host, Australia will continue pushing its growth agenda despite
growing security tensions.
"The focus of this G20 will be on growth and jobs," Abbott said at a
press conference with Cameron.
Canberra is pushing for an increase in global growth targets of 2
percent by 2018 to create millions of jobs and that goal appears on
track. Over 1,000 policy initiatives proposed by G20 nations should
add around 2.1 percent, the head of the Paris-based Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said.
Taxation arrangements of global companies such as Google Inc, Apple
Inc and Amazon.com Inc have become a hot political topic following
media and parliamentary investigations into how many companies
reduce their tax bills.
The OECD has unveiled a series of measures that could stop companies
from employing many commonly used practices to shift profits into
low-tax centers.
Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said Australia had won U.S.
cooperation to launch an "aggressive crackdown" on tax avoidance.
(Additional reporting by Lincoln Feast and Jane Wardell in Brisbane
and Gernot Heller in Auckland; Editing by Michael Perry and Raju
Gopalakrishnan)
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