Labor leader Bill Shorten has declared he would say "nothing" to Vladimir Putin if he met him because Russia doesn't care what Australia thinks.

The prime ministerial hopeful has revealed how he would handle the diplomatic relations with Moscow, which the Coalition government believes had a role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Eastern Ukraine.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

298 people were killed in the atrocity, including 38 people who called Australia home.

Speaking at a media conference in Melbourne, Mr Shorten was asked what he would say to Mr Putin if he met him at the G20 in Brisbane this weekend.