Putin said it was because Russia had questions for the Dutch-led investigation.
“Many questions remain regarding the investigation, including with respect to the evidence collected so far, and to Russia’s not being allowed to participate in much of the investigation,’’ Putin told Mark Rutte, according to a Kremlin statement.
According to Putin, Russia is ready for close cooperation on elucidating this tragedy’s causes and circumstances.
The UN Security Council was set to vote on the creation of a tribunal to criminally prosecute alleged culprits for the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014.
Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, was expected to veto the measure if it passes.
Ukrainian and Western officials suspect that Russian backed separatists used a Russian-made missile system to shoot down the airliner, killing 298 people, 200 of whom were Dutch.
Russian federal investigators have alleged that the airliner was shot down by the Ukrainian military.
