“I’m sure that any father that’s lost three kids would be absolutely devastated but the reality is nothing is going to bring those three kids back,” Mr Kelly told Sky News on Wednesday afternoon. “So what is best for the continued future of the world? And it is best, in my opinion, that the leader of the USA and the leader of Russia at least have a good talking relationship. “And if that means some of the things that Russia have gotten away with in the past have to be slightly looked over, well, I’m sorry, that’s the price that we have to pay sometimes to have good relations going forward. “We can’t fix things that happened in the past, we’ve got to make sure that the relationships between Russia and the US going forward are the best they can possibly be.” Craig Kelly's remarks contrasted with renewed condemnation of Russia's role in the downing of MH17. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The comments triggered concern from fellow Liberals about Mr Kelly’s chances at a looming preselection challenge in his southern Sydney electorate of Hughes, where Kent Johns is seeking to replace him as the federal MP. “A guy who thinks like that does not deserve to be on the national stage,” said one Liberal. Loading Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Kelly should apologise for his remarks. "I cannot believe he said this. Australians were killed. Children were killed. There are no excuses, ever. Craig Kelly should apologise to the families of the victims," Mr Shorten tweeted.

Labor regional services spokesman Stephen Jones said Mr Kelly’s remarks were a “very callous dismissal” of the loss felt by the families of victims. Asked to respond to the call to apologise, Mr Kelly defended his argument about the need for good relations between the US and Russia but said he was sorry if peole took offence at part of his comments. “If you took part of the conversation and you took it out of context, I understand that could be seen as insensitive,” he told Fairfax Media on Wednesday night. “If people have taken any offence from that, I apologise. But I don’t in any way retract the basic point I was making. “The point that I was making was not to diminish in any way what a terrible tragedy it was, and it was not to diminish in any way the Russian involvement.”

Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Mr Kelly's remarks contrasted with renewed condemnation of Mr Putin over Russia's role in arming the pro-Russia separatists identified by an international investigation as responsible for the downing of the airline, with investors concluding the missile belonged to a Russian brigade. Mr Shorten, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, former prime minister Tony Abbott and former prime minister John Howard have all criticised Mr Putin in recent days. Treasurer Scott Morrison said it was a matter of defending Australian interests. "Australia's interests involve standing up to those who threaten our interests and there's no doubt that the actions of Russia in relation to MH17 were disgraceful and we've taken a very strident view on that and we continue to take a strident view on that," Mr Morrison said.

"And that is shared, I think, by everybody within the political spectrum in Australia. And we should continue to do that." Mo, Evie and Otis died when flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine. Credit:Anthony Maslin, Facebook Mr Trump and Mr Putin met in Helsinki on Monday where the US President declared he would have an “extraordinary relationship” with the Russian leader. Loading In an open letter on Facebook, Mr Maslin called on the President to stop hiding behind "fake news" and look at the "irrefutable facts".

Mr Maslin released a new photograph of his dead children, showing Evie wearing a checked school dress, her hair in two plaits, grinning and sitting in the middle of her two brothers. Mr Trump failed to raise the issue with Mr Putin in his private meeting and subsequent press conference in Helsinki on Monday, and he appeared to side with Putin over the US intelligence agencies on the subject of Russian meddling in the US election. Thirty-eight Australian residents and citizens were among the 298 people killed when MH17 exploded mid-air. Citizens of the Netherlands, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Indonesia and Germany were also among the victims. A portion of the MH17 wing lies in the field outside the village of Grabovka in 2014. Credit:Kate Geraghty The missile that downed the passenger flight was Russian-owned, according to an international investigation. Australia and the Netherlands hold Russia responsible and want Mr Putin to pay compensation to the victims' families.

"Mr Trump, you invented and speak a lot about 'fake news' but let's try talking about something that's not fake … let's call them irrefutable facts," Mr Maslin wrote. "That passenger flight MH17 was shot out of the sky and 298 innocent people were murdered is an irrefutable fact. "That the plane was hit by a Russian missile has been proven to be an irrefutable fact. "That this killed our three beautiful children and their grandfather, and destroyed our life and many other lives in the process, is an irrefutable fact. "That this happened 4 years ago today … is an irrefutable fact.

"That the man whose arse you’ve just been kissing did this, and continues to lie about it, is an irrefutable fact. "So you don't need to look it up, irrefutable means impossible to deny or disprove. "It's not anger that I feel towards the two of you, it's something much, much worse. It's pity. "You have no empathy for your fellow man, and you clearly have no idea what love is. So you have nothing." Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who is in London, wants to start negotiations with Russia to "open dialogue around the circumstances leading to the tragic loss of innocent lives". She will travel to the US next week for talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.