KOALA DIPLOMACY IN AUSTRALIA - Nothing like a cuddly Koala to break the ice - Canada PM Harper to Putin: Get out of Ukraine

At least these little guys are up for some shirtfronting! G20 leaders pose for a photo and a cuddle... as some adorable koalas show them some very Australian hospitality.

Western leaders gathered in Brisbane, Australia, to discuss Ebola epidemic, trade, global economy and the situation in Ukraine 

World leaders also got to experience Australia's wildlife and cuddle up to a koala

Vladimir Putin reportedly warned that he would leave early after a tense exchange with Canada's Stephen Harper  

 PM Harper to Putin:  I'll shake your hand, but get out of Ukraine

Canada PM Stephen Harper enjoying a koala hug.  PM Harper truly loves animals.

 

Laureen Harper, wife of Canada's PM Stephen Harper

 looks enchanted by the cuddly creature too.

Australia PM Tony Abbott with President Putin of Russia and their koala friends,

the adorable animals eliciting smiles from both of them.

 

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel petting a koala in PM Abbott's arms.

 

 Hugs for New Zealand PM John Key

But the ‘koala diplomacy’ could only carry the western leaders so far.

 

Once the smiles and fuzzy embraces were over, the talks hit their first major stumbling block when Mr Putin declared that he would leave Brisbane early after being threatened with additional economic sanctions if he failed to end Russian backing for rebels in Ukraine.

 

Russia denied any involvement in an escalation of the separatist war in eastern Ukraine, where more than 4,000 people have been killed since April, but faced strong rebukes from leaders including President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

 

‘I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine,’ Harper told Putin at the summit in Brisbane, Australia, according to his spokesman Jason MacDonald.

 

Putin's response to the comment was not positive, MacDonald said in an email, without elaborating. 

 

A source in Putin's delegation told Reuters that the Russian president would leave the summit early, skipping a working breakfast on Sunday, because he needed to return to meetings in Moscow.

 

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any such plans, saying: ‘This is wrong. The president is taking part in all the (G20) events.’

 

Western nations have imposed successive rounds of sanctions on Moscow, accusing it of sending troops and tanks to back pro-Russian rebels fighting to break away from Ukraine. Russia denies the charges.

 

The measures, aimed at sectors like oil and banking, as well as individuals close to Putin, are squeezing Russia's economy at a time when falling oil prices are straining the budget and the rouble has plunged on financial markets.

 

More Koala pictures with politicians
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2836006/Kissing-koalas-charm-G20-leaders-Putin-cracks-rare-smile-threatening-storm-tense-talks-Ukraine.html

PM Harper confronts Putin
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-and-g20-leaders-confront-putin-problem-at-australia-meet/article21603599/

 

 

Canada's PM Harper genuinely loves animals. 

He has a Fostering Pets page on his website. 

He and his wife Laureen have been foster parents to many homeless animals over the years. 

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/fostering-pets

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