Let's wait and see, PM says of Putin ban

Tony Abbott has stopped short of declaring Russian President Vladimir Putin unwelcome at the G20 leaders summit in Brisbane later in the year.

"Let's wait and see what transpires," he told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Mr Abbott has pointed the finger of suspicion at Russian-backed rebels armed with Russian artillery for the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in which up to 28 Australians died.

Mr Abbott said he did not want to pre-empt what might happen in months ahead and Australia would be reluctant to act unilaterally in barring President Putin.

"Nevertheless, it is also very important that Australia act with the strength and self-respect that you would expect of a country of our standing," he said.

Asked if he intend speaking to Mr Putin in a range of phone calls he intends making over the weekend, Mr Abbott said: "I don't want to go into whom I might be speaking to."

But how Moscow responded to UN calls for an impartial investigation of the crash was a test of its transparency, he said.

"There can be no buck-passing, no blame-shifting. There has to be full co-operation," Mr Abbott said.