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International prosecutors say they have found "strong indications" that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the use in Ukraine of a Russian missile system that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014.

However, evidence of Putin's and other Russian officials' involvement was not conclusive enough to lead to a criminal conviction, they said, ending their probe for now.

MH17 was shot down by a Russian BUK missile system as it flew over eastern Ukraine from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew including 38 Australian residents and citizens.

"There are strong indications that the Russian president decided on supplying the BUK," the prosecutors said in a statement on Wednesday.

But prosecutor Digna van Boetzelaer told a news conference in The Hague the investigation had now "reached its limit".

"The findings are insufficient for the prosecution of new suspects," she said.

The Kremlin, which has repeatedly denied any Russian state involvement in the past, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In November, a Dutch court convicted two former Russian intelligence agents and a Ukrainian separatist leader of murder for helping arrange the Russian BUK missile system that was used to shoot the plane down.

The three men, who were tried in absentia, remain at large.

After the plane's destruction, the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Ukraine and Malaysia set up a joint investigation team to establish who was responsible and to assemble evidence for criminal prosecutions.

Piet Ploeg, who lost his brother in the downing and heads a foundation representing MH17 victims, said he was disappointed the investigation had stalled but was glad prosecutors had laid out their evidence for Putin's involvement.

"We can't do a lot with it, Putin can't be prosecuted," he said.

"We wanted to know who was ultimately responsible and that's clear."

At the time the plane was downed, leaving wreckage and victims' remains scattered across fields of corn and sunflowers, Ukrainian forces were fighting Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province.

While Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and seven months later said it had annexed Donetsk, it denied military involvement there in 2014.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday they could not identify the specific soldiers responsible for operating the missile system, which came from Russia's 53rd brigade in Kursk.

But they cited two phone intercepts in their evidence.

The first was a 2014 conversation between Russian officials in which one indicated Putin's approval was necessary before a request for equipment made by the separatists could be granted.

"It is not known whether the request explicitly mentions a BUK system. A little later, the heavier air defence systems are delivered, including the BUK that shoots down MH17," prosecutors said.

The other call was a 2017 conversation between Putin himself and the top pro-Russia politician in Ukraine's breakaway Luhansk province, in which they discussed the military situation and a prisoner exchange.

Andy Kraag, head of the Netherlands' National Criminal Investigation Department, said the case could be reactivated with new evidence.

"The next answers, they lie in Russia. And as long as there's no co-operation in Russia those answers will remain there," he said.

"Our door remains open."

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said the country would "seek to employ all the existing international legal mechanisms" to bring Putin to justice.

Australia and the Netherlands have said they hold Russia responsible for MH17's downing.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday the Netherlands would continue to "call the Russian Federation to account" in international proceedings, which include complaints before the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the European Court of Human Rights.

© RAW 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has visited the United Kingdom to drum up aid, winning a pledge to train Ukrainian pilots on advanced NATO fighter jets, a big symbolic step up in foreign military support against Russia's invasion.

On just his second trip abroad since Russian forces swept into Ukraine on February 24 last year, he met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and thanked the UK for "marching with us towards the most important victory of our lifetime".

But he repeatedly hammered home a call for combat aircraft, which he referred to as "wings for freedom".

Ukraine "will do everything possible and impossible to make the world provide us with modern planes to empower and protect pilots who will be protecting us," Zelenskiy told hundreds of MPs in London's Westminster Hall.

Shortly before his arrival, Sunak's office announced plans to expand a program training Ukraine's military to include its air force, "to ensure pilots are able to fly sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future".

The announcement gave no time frame and stopped short of a commitment to provide Ukraine with UK jets.

But it signalled a notable shift in support that could pave the way for other countries to send planes, so far ruled out by countries wary of sending weapons capable of striking deep into Russia.

Closing his remarks, Zelenskiy said two years ago he had left the UK parliament thanking MPs for "delicious English tea"; now he would leave "thanking you in advance for powerful English planes".

As he wrapped up his speech in London, air raid sirens rang out in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Sunak told parliament that the UK would give Ukraine the support it needs "to ensure a decisive military victory on the battlefield this year".

Zelenskiy was also due to meet King Charles and visit Ukrainian troops training in the UK, before travelling on to Brussels, where he is expected to attend a summit of European Union leaders.

During his London visit, the UK announced the addition of new names to its Russia sanctions blacklist as well as plans to accelerate the supply of military equipment to Ukraine, including unspecified longer range weapons.

Last month the UK was the first country to offer Ukraine battle tanks, pledging 14 of them a little more than a week before the United States and European allies pledged scores.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, publicly more cautious than some other leaders on arms deliveries, told MPs in Berlin decisions on weapons were best when co-ordinated behind the scenes, rather than announced separately by countries in a "public competition to outdo each other".

Scholz also said he expected strong demonstrations of support for Ukraine from this week's EU summit, and a new round of European sanctions on Russia around the anniversary of the invasion.

After major Ukrainian gains in the second half of 2022, Russia has recovered momentum as tens of thousands of freshly mobilised troops reach the front.

Russian forces have made incremental progress in Ukraine's east in recent weeks, in relentless winter battles which both sides describe as some of the bloodiest fighting of the war.

Ukraine says it expects Russia to broaden that offensive with a big push as the February 24 first anniversary of the invasion approaches.

"They need to have something to show before their people, and have a major desire to do something big, as they see it, by this date," Ukrainian national security chief Oleksiy Danilov told Reuters on Tuesday in an interview.

He predicted Russia, which has focused lately on the Donetsk region in the east, would try new attacks on Kharkiv further north or Zaporizhzhia further south.

"How successful they'll be will depend on us."

© RAW 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has travelled to two European capitals in search of better aerial firepower to turn the war against Russia, winning a British pledge to train Ukrainian pilots on advanced NATO fighter jets.

On just his second trip abroad since the war began a year ago, Zelenskiy met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles in London before flying to France.

In Paris, the Ukrainian president met French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Both vowed continued support for Ukraine ahead of a discussion on Wednesday evening about Kyiv's wartime needs.

"We have very little time. I'm talking now about the weapons needed for peace and to stop the war started by Russia," Zelenskiy said.

"France and Germany have the potential to be game changers and that's how I see our talks today. The sooner we get heavy long-range weapons and our pilots get modern planes ... the quicker this Russian aggression will end."

In a speech to British lawmakers, Zelenskiy similarly stressed his plea for combat aircraft, which he referred to as "wings for freedom".

Western countries have so far stopped short of providing planes or weapons that can strike deep inside Russia.

At a joint news conference with Zelenskiy later in the day, Sunak said "nothing is off the table" when it comes to supplying Ukraine with jets to fight Russia.

"The first step in being able to provide advanced aircraft is to have soldiers or aviators that are capable of using them. That is a process that takes some time. We've started that process today," Sunak said.

Russia's embassy to Britain warned London against sending fighter jets to Ukraine, saying such a move would have ramifications for the entire world, TASS news agency reported.

Britain announced plans to expand a program training Ukraine's military to ensure its pilots could fly sophisticated jets of NATO military alliance standards.

The announcement gave no time frame and did not commit to providing Kyiv with British jets. But it signalled a shift that could pave the way for other nations to send planes.

Zelenskiy's tour of Europe, which will also include a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, follows a surprise visit to Washington in December.

Britain announced the addition of new names to its Russia sanctions blacklist, as well as plans for more military equipment for Kyiv, including unspecified longer-range weapons.

As Zelenskiy wrapped up his London speech, air raid sirens rang out in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. An all-clear later sounded.

Germany's Scholz told the lower house of parliament in Berlin before travelling to Paris he expected strong support for Ukraine from this week's EU summit and a new round of European sanctions on Russia around the anniversary of the invasion on February 24.

His defence minister said Western allies could deliver a first battalion of about 31 Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine in the early months of this year.

After major Ukrainian gains in the second half of 2022, Russia has recovered momentum, sending tens of thousands of freshly mobilised troops to the front.

They have made incremental progress in relentless winter battles both sides describe as some of the bloodiest fighting of the war.

Kyiv says it expects Moscow to broaden that offensive with a big push as the February 24 anniversary of the invasion approaches.

Russia launched its "special military operation" last year to combat what it describes as a security threat from Ukraine's ties to the West, and claims to have annexed four Ukrainian provinces.

It says Western military aid will prolong the war.

Western fighter jets are at the top of Ukraine's wish list.

United States President Joe Biden said last month Washington would not send US F-16s to Ukraine, and British officials have said their jets require too much training to be useful now.

France and Poland are among the countries that have kept the door open to sending jets as part of a collective Western decision.

© RAW 2023