President criticises calls for UN tribunal on downing of airliner

Pulse Staff 09:43 - 16 July 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin (front) delivers a speech at the gala concert of the 15th International Tchaikovsky Competition at the Moscow Conservatory, Russia, July 2, 2015. REUTERS/Aleksey Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin also told Prime Minister Mark Rutte in a phone call, on the eve of the first anniversary of the incident in which all 298 aboard were killed, that such proposals were premature.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Dutch prime minister on Thursday that calls for setting up an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of bringing down a Malaysian passenger airliner over Ukraine were counterproductive.