"Step Too Far": Australian PM On Putin Sitting With World Leaders At G-20

China this week described Russia as an "important member" of the G20 and said no member had the right to expel another country.

Allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit with other world leaders at this year's G20 summit would be "a step too far", Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Thursday.

Putin has already been invited to the G20 heads of state summit in November by this year's host Jakarta, and he intends to be there, Russia's ambassador to Indonesia said this week.

But Morrison objected, citing Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine.

"I think we need to have people in the room that aren't invading other countries," he said.