A Liberal MP who said that the things Russia "got away with" in the past should be "looked over" has claimed his comments have been taken out of context.
It is just over four years since Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine. All 298 passengers and crew were killed after a surface-to-air missile shot the aircraft out of the sky.
Of the 298 killed, 38 passengers called Australia home, and attorney-general Christian Porter said in May that the Australian government holds Russia responsible for its role in the downing.
Tony Abbott when he was prime minister threatened to "shirtfront" Russian president Vladimir Putin over the incident, but when US president Donald Trump met with Putin this week, Trump did not raise the MH17 publicly at the press conference the two world leaders held together.
In response, Australian father Anthony Maslin, who lost his three children and father in the attack said that it was an "irrefutable fact" that "the man whose arse [Trump has been] kissing did this, and continues to lie about it".
"So you don't need to look it up, irrefutable means impossible to deny or disprove," he said. "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."
In responding on Sky News on Wednesday afternoon, Kelly, who has previously praised Trump, said that the things Russia had gotten away with should be overlooked.
"The reality is, nothing is going to bring those three kids back," he said. "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 have a good talking relationship.
"And if that means some of the things that Russia has gotten away with in the past has to be slightly looked over, well I'm sorry, that is the price we have to pay sometimes to have good relations going forward."
.@CraigKellyMP: We can't fix things that's happened in the past. It is best if the leaders US and Russia have a good talking relationship, if that means looking over things Russia has done in the past then that's the price we pay. MORE: https://t.co/OZbNyyas5r #newsday https://t.co/qhbGrAVGlz
Kelly's comments prompted outrage from his fellow politicians, and other families of the victims of MH17, and a rebuke from foreign minister Julie Bishop who said that "no-one should underestimate the anguish and pain" that the family of victims of MH17 feel.
"I hope that Craig takes that into account," she said.
On Thursday morning Kelly undertook a media blitz across the ABC, Sky News, and 2GB radio to claim that his comments were taken out of context.
"I apologise but it's very disappointing to see that some people have taken political advantage by taking the comments out of context," he said on ABC's RN Breakfast.
He said Russia should be "fully condemned" for MH17, but said the comments were taken out of context.
"The reality is that as much as ... I myself would like to shirtfront president Putin ... the reality of the politik of the world is we need both the US and Russia, and the leaders of both those nations, to have a good working relationship."
It is a long way from Kelly's position in 2014, when he praised then PM Abbott for personally confronting Putin, and said Abbott was "providing leadership on the world stage".
