Top Ukrainian diplomat says the world can't afford to hesitate on expanding sanctions for Russia

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to move Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, saying Australia would be "in lock step" with nations imposing sanctions against Russia in response.

The Ukrainian Embassy's head of mission, Volodymyr Shalkivskyi, said Ukraine was grateful for Australian support through sanctions, its leaders' statements condemning Russia, and the offer of cyber security support.

"We believe that the recent decision of the Russian president is a reason why Australia needs to expand its sanctions regime against Russia, due to the violation of international norms," he said.

"And we also will appreciate providing Ukraine with any kind of non-military assistance that the Australian government finds possible to provide."

Mr Shalkivskyi said nations should respond to avoid Russia's actions from setting a precedent.

"It's really important for the international community not to hesitate and not to remain outside over such kind of atrocities, of blatant violation of international law.

"That is why we are all on one side."

Mr Shalkivskyi said Ukraine wanted to avoid a full-scale war, and relied on political and diplomatic measures to resolve the crisis. It needed a united position from the international community.

"We rely on the support of our international partners, including Australia," he said.

"I cannot say that we are 100 per cent prepared, but we know how Russia can behave.

"And that is why we prepared for all possible scenarios that we can see right now."

The head of mission said that the Ukrainian government would not respond to Russia's actions in the two separatist territories - in Donetsk and Luhansk - with military operations, and wanted to avoid giving Russia a pre-text for a full-scale invasion.

However he said Ukraine was prepared to defend itself, if Russian forces crossed the so-called contact line between the separatist-controlled territories and the rest of Ukraine.

Mr Morrison said Russia's claims to be conducting "peacekeeping" operations in eastern Ukraine were nonsense.

"They have moved in on Ukrainian sovereign territory, and while I hope for the best in terms of the diplomatic effort that are being pursued, particularly by the United States and France and other nations in Europe that are trying to avoid what would be an absolutely violent confrontation with terrible human consequences, at the same time, we cannot have threats of violence being used to seek to advantage nations' positions over others," he said.

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The Prime Minister warned Russia's actions would bring significant costs to the nation.

"Russia should step back. It should unconditionally withdraw, back behind its own borders, and stop threatening its neighbours," Mr Morrison said.

"We've seen this behaviour before, and seeking to take opportunity to threaten a neighbour for their own advantage is just simply not on. It's unacceptable, it's unprovoked, it's unwarranted.

"I can assure you that the moment that other countries put in place strong and severe sanctions on Russia, we will be in lockstep with them and we will be moving just as quickly and that is the discussions we have been engaged with now for some time with our partners," he said.

Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said Russia was violating international law by "recognising" the separatist territories, and that it had violated the territorial integrity of Ukraine.