SINGAPORE, Nov 11 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will meet controversial Russian president Vladimir Putin at the sidelines of the Asean Summit 2018 this Tuesday, amid recent new evidence on the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 implicating the military superpower.

When asked if the prime minister is planned to broach the topic with Putin, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah suggested the issue is on the cards, but he did not confirm the matter.

“Our position has always been very clear. We’re awaiting for the conclusive report from the JIT,” the minister told the media during a briefing ahead of the summit here.

“We don’t hold any other position,” Saifuddin added.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was formed after the flight was downed in July 2014 killing 298 on board, made of Dutch prosecutors and police, and representatives from Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine.

In May, the JIT after four years of investigation had indicated the plane may have been downed by pro-Russian rebels fighting against the Ukrainian government, which Moscow has denied.

In the same month, a joint investigation by online open source investigator Bellingcat, Russian news outfit The Insider, and Washington-based news outfit McClatchy also released a report identifying a key person of interest in the MH17 downing: a high-ranking Russian intelligence officer named Oleg Vladimirovich Ivannikov.

Just a few months later, Russian military had then claimed that the serial number of the missile which struck the aircraft showed it was owned by Ukraine.

On the tragedy’s fourth anniversary in July, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia will continue to pursue justice for the victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and their families.

However, Saifuddin confirmed one key issue that would be discussed with Putin: security in the Korean peninsula.

In June, Putin had met with the North Korea’s ceremonial head of state, the Supreme People’s Assembly presidium Kim Yong-Nam in Singapore during the summit between US president Donald Trump and North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un.

Dr Mahathir will arrive in Singapore tomorrow morning for an official visit to the republic, and the Asean Summit 2018.