BRISBANE: Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to skip a working session at the Group of 20 leaders summit on Sunday and bring forward his departure, said a Russian official travelling with Putin, after he came under pressure from Western leaders over the crisis in Ukraine.

Putin has been confronted over Russia's position on Ukraine by several leaders at the G20 summit in Brisbane, including U.S. President Barack Obama.

Western leaders have threatened further sanctions if Russia does not withdraw troops and weapons from its neighbouring nation, overshadowing talks on how to lift flagging global economic growth.

Copyright Reuters, 2014