Setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for shooting down flight MH17 a year ago would be ‘counter-productive’, Russian president Vladimir Putin is quoted as saying in Thursday’s NRC.

Putin is said to have made the comment in a telephone conversation with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte on Thursday morning. On Wednesday it became clear that Russia will not support the establishment of a tribunal under the auspices of the UN security council and has the power of veto.

According to the NRC, the phone call was a last ditch attempt by Rutte to persuade Putin to change his mind. The state information service RVD gave no further information about the conversation between the two leaders.

On Friday it will be a year since Malaysian Airways flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine. Evidence points to pro-Russian rebels as being responsible.

On Thursday, Britain’s Telegraph newspaper said the relatives of 18 victims are planning to take legal action against Ukrainian separatist leader Igor Girkin for his role in the disaster.

The paper said a writ filed in Chicago alleges Girkin was acting with the blessing of the Kremlin when his forces fired at the Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.