Canadian PM Harper at G20 tells Vladimir Putin to 'get out of Ukraine'.

Not exactly John Wayne...but 'True Grit'.

Canadian PM Harper at G20 tells Vladimir Putin to 'get out of Ukraine'. (CBC).

Stephen Harper had a showdown with Vladimir Putin on Saturday, telling the Russian leader to "get out of Ukraine" in a dustup at the Group of 20 summit in Australia.

Harper's spokesman, Jason MacDonald, said the prime minister was speaking to a group of G20 leaders at a private leaders' retreat on Saturday morning when Putin approached and extended his hand.

MacDonald said Harper told Putin: "I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine."

According to MacDonald, Putin did not respond positively. He didn't provide further details.

But a spokesman for the Russian delegation said Putin's response was: "That's impossible because we are not there."

Harper and the leaders of the world's top economies began the annual summit in a tense atmosphere dominated by Western anger towards Putin and pressure to address climate change, fight Ebola and kickstart economic growth.

A senior government source had earlier stated that Harper had no intention of talking to Putin during the summit, noting the Russian leader was well aware of Canada's position on his aggression in Ukraine. That changed when Putin approached his Canadian counterpart.

Harper has been a vehement Putin critic for months, with Canada and Russia trading a number of retaliatory sanctions.

He recently condemned the "continued penetration of Russian presence in eastern Ukraine and obvious actions to extend and provoke additional violence. That's of great concern to us." Read the full story here.