Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has made an "urgent" appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin not to veto a UN Security Council resolution to create a tribunal for a trial of those suspected of shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.
Rutte's office said he telephoned Putin, ahead of the vote in New York later on July 29 to seek his backing for setting up the international tribunal and trial over the downing of the Malaysia Airlines jet that killed 298.
Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia, Ukraine, and Belgium have called for such a tribunal.
Malaysia has circulated a draft resolution on the issue with a vote set for July 29 around 3 p.m. local time at UN premises in New York
The resolution would require all countries to cooperate with the special tribunal or face sanctions.
The Kremlin says Putin told Rutte he remains firmly opposed to such a tribunal.
