G-20 Meeting Expected to Focus on Ukraine Crisis

While the struggling world economy is the official focus for the summit of the world’s leading economies being held Friday through Sunday in Australia, Ukraine’s civil war is likely to take center stage, experts say, with the United States, EU members and Russia all attending.

During the week, Kiev, with the support of Western military alliance NATO, claimed that Russia was sending troops and weapons to the majority Russian-speaking Ukrainian rebels in the eastern regions of the country who are trying to break away to form their own republics. 

These claims have been denied by Moscow.

British Prime Minister David Cameron weighed in on the conflict Friday, warning that his country will increase the already-severe economic sanctions that the EU and U.S. have imposed on the superpower.

"If Russia takes a positive approach toward Ukraine's freedom and responsibility, we could see those sanctions removed, if Russia continues to make matters worse then we could see those sanctions increased, it's as simple as that," said Cameron from Australia's capital city Canberra.

A ceasefire signed in September in the city of Minsk seems to have had little effect, with almost continual fighting and loss of life since its inception. Since fighting began in April, more than 4,000 people have died.

Ahead of the G-20 meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she is concerned that the Minsk agreement is not being followed.

U.S. President Barrack Obama will arrive to Brisbane on Saturday, and will be discussing the conflict in Ukraine with a bloc of allies including Merkel, Cameron, and French President Francois Hollande.

In an interview with Russian state news agency TASS, Putin said the sanctions harmed Russia, but also the global economy. He said he would not bring up the issue at G-20 as "it'll make no sense."

Traditionally an economic summit, the G-20 countries, this year meeting in Brisbane, are expected to agree to set themselves a new two percent economic growth target, ways to safeguard the global banking system, as well as ways to close tax loopholes for multinationals.

The G-20 is also expected to discuss the Ebola crisis, and the international military campaign against the Islamic State group.

The Group of 20 is made of the EU member states as a bloc, plus Argentina, Australia, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the United States.