Kissing koalas charm G20 leaders, and even Putin cracks a rare smile 'before threatening to storm off after tense talks over Ukraine' Western leaders gathered in Brisbane, Australia, to discuss Ebola epidemic, trade, global economy and the situation in Ukraine Vladimir Putin reportedly warned that he would leave early after a tense exchange with Canada's Stephen Harper Before the talks got under way, the G20 participants took part in photo-op with koalas By Snejana Farberov for MailOnline and Reuters Reporter World leaders arrived at the G20 summit in Australia this weekend to help resolve serious global crises - but they stayed for the koalas. Before getting down to the hard business of fixing the economy, ending the Ebola epidemic and getting to the bottom of the situation in Ukraine, participants of the high-level talks in Brisbane were each handed Australia's cuddly mascot for a photo-op Saturday. All heads of state at the summit, from the "leader of the free world" President Obama to the "Iron Chancellor" Angela Merkel, proved powerless against the charms of the ridiculously photogenic animals. Koala meet-and-greet: President Obama, pictured left and right, posed for photos with a koala named 'Jimbelung' in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, with the country's Prime Minister Tony Abbott on the right Love is in the air: Obama's furry friend largely ignored the president and focused all his attentions on Abbott's koala Not so scary now, Mr Putin: Russian President Putin (right) grinned for the camera while embracing a koala Making a run for it: The koala in Putin's arms appeared eager to escape the Russian president's iron grip Even the usually stone-faced Valdimir Putin, the summit's bete noire, was pictured cracking a rare smile while embracing an adorable marsupial, who appeared to be trying to escape the Russian president's iron grip. President Obama appeared delighted to spend some quality time with a koala named 'Jimbelung.' But Obama's new furry friend did not seem very much impressed with the US commander-in-chief, and instead focused his attentions on the koala in the arms of Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott. At one point, the two fluffy creatures even exchanged a smooch, to the obvious delight of Obama and Abbott. But the "koala diplomacy" could only carry the western leaders so far. Once the smiles and fuzzy embraces were over, the talks hit their first major stumbling block when Mr Putin declared that he would leave Brisbane early after being threatened with additional economic sanctions if he failed to end Russian backing for rebels in Ukraine. Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff pictured meeting 'Jimbelung' the Koala before the start of the first G20 meeting in Brisbane Iron chancellor: Germany's Angela Merkel seemed taken by Jimbelung the koala in Prime Minister Abbott's arms The kiwi and the koala: New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key got a chance to spend some time with his neighbors' national mascot Delighted: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott (R) look at a koala, held by keeper Michele Barnes Russia denied any involvement in an escalation of the separatist war in eastern Ukraine, where more than 4,000 people have been killed since April, but faced strong rebukes from leaders including President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine," Harper told Putin at the summit in Brisbane, Australia, according to his spokesman Jason MacDonald. Putin's response to the comment was not positive, MacDonald said in an email, without elaborating. A source in Putin's delegation told Reuters that the Russian president would leave the summit early, skipping a working breakfast on Sunday, because he needed to return to meetings in Moscow. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any such plans, saying: "This is wrong. The president is taking part in all the (G20) events. Western nations have imposed successive rounds of sanctions on Moscow, accusing it of sending troops and tanks to back pro-Russian rebels fighting to break away from Ukraine. Russia denies the charges. The measures, aimed at sectors like oil and banking, as well as individuals close to Putin, are squeezing Russia's economy at a time when falling oil prices are straining the budget and the rouble has plunged on financial markets. Not pleased: Putin allegedly warned that he would leave the G20 talks early after being threatened with additional sanctions over the Ukraine crisis Unpleasant exchange: Putin reportedly did not take it too kindly when Canada's Stephen Harper told him that Russia must get out of Ukraine Not mincing words: Pro-Ukraine protesters outside the venue of the G20 summit in Brisbane held up signs calling Putin a killer and comparing him to Hitler Saturday Sending a strong message: The demonstrators urged world leaders to stop Putin from invading the Ukraine Obama said the United States was at the forefront of "opposing Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which is a threat to the world, as we saw in the appalling shoot-down of MH17" -- a reference to the downing of a Malaysian airliner over rebel-held territory on July 17, with the loss of 298 lives. German Chancellor Merkel said the European Union was considering further financial sanctions against Russian individuals because of the crisis in Ukraine. "The present situation is not satisfying," she told reporters. At present the listing of further persons is on the agenda. Putin's isolation was evident with his placing on the outer edge for the formal G20 leaders' photograph. While Obama and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping were met by Australia's governor general and attorney general when they arrived in Brisbane, Putin was greeted by the assistant defence minister. Despite being under intense pressure, Putin was all smiles, shaking hands with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The host had threatened to "shirt front," or physically confront, Putin over the downing of MH17, in which 28 Australians died. A Kremlin spokesman said the Ukraine crisis was the only topic discussed at a one-on-one meeting between Putin and British Prime Minister David Cameron, but he added both expressed interest in "ending confrontation" and rebuilding relations. Putin also met French President Francois Hollande, and both agreed to protect their ties from the effects of sanctions, the spokesman said. Say, 'cheese': Participants pose for the G20 Leaders' Summit family photo in Brisbane in this November 15, 2014 From L-R: (bottom row) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, France's President Francois Hollande, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott, China's President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Barack Obama, Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu; (centre row) Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, Spain's President Mariano Rajoy, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, South Korea's President Park Geun-hye, Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italy's Prime No love lost: British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) appeared tense sitting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting on the side of the G20 summit in Brisbane November 15 Off to a good start: Russia's President Vladimir Putin? (R) is welcomed by Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott upon his arrival for the G20 summit in Brisbane The European Union demanded Moscow withdraw troops and weapons from Ukraine and put pressure on rebels there to accept a ceasefire, after the latest fighting wrecked a truce agreed in September. EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to assess the situation in Ukraine and whether further steps including additional sanctions are needed against Russia, said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. Obama plans to meet European leaders to discuss the matter on Sunday, he added. Outside the summit, Ukrainian Australians staged an anti-Putin protest, wearing headbands reading "Putin, Killer." Draped with the flags of the nations that lost citizens when flight MH17 was shot down, the demonstrators lay on a large Ukrainian flag, in what they said was a protest at the "murderous acts" Russia's president was responsible for. Russian state-controlled TV on Friday broadcast what it called "sensational" photographs supporting Moscow's version that the plan was downed by a Ukrainian fighter jet, but several commentators described the pictures as fakes. But amid the tensions there was also some positive news coming out of Brisbane Saturday. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that an agreement could be reached by November 24 between six world powers and Iran on curbing the country's nuclear program if there is the will in Washington and Tehran. The six powers -- Russia, China, the United States, France, Britain and Germany -- want to ensure Iran's nuclear program does not enable it to build nuclear weapons, though Iran says its nuclear work is for civil needs. Ryabkov said Moscow would continue to cooperate with Washington on Iran and Syria despite a rift in ties hours after Obama said Moscow's actions in Ukraine were a threat to the world. 'Talks on Iran and Syria are not a tribute to fashion or momentary interests and even less so are an intention to 'please' the United States,' he said. This cooperation meets our interest and helps to normalise the global situation, and we will keep on doing it. If it had been for other reasons, we would have folded this activity long ago.