United States secretary of state John Kerry hopes Russia and Ukraine can work together on plane probe

United States Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday he hopes the international community can find a way for Russia and Ukraine to work together to facilitate a formal investigation into the crash of a Malaysia Airlines plane.

Kerry said that, while the United States had no doubt that Flight MH17 was shot down by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine, a full investigation was needed to legitimise "whatever steps we are taking down the track".

"We hope and pray in the next days and weeks, we can find a way for (Ukrainian) President Porochenko and Ukraine to be able to work with Russia," he told reporters at a briefing in Sydney.