Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy used a UN address on Tuesday to call for the expulsion of Russia - one of five permanent members who hold veto powers - from the security council so it cannot block peace resolutions to the war being waged on his country.
But under the UN charter there is no direct way to remove a permanent member of the security council.
However, Russia can be suspended from the Human Rights Council with a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly.
Australia has co-sponsored the resolution required, but a senior foreign affairs official says the push was in train just prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has threatened to retaliate against states who vote for its suspension.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the efforts to hold Russia accountable and to provide security assistance to Ukraine during NATO ministerial meetings in Brussels.
"Authoritarian states cannot be allowed to trample on the rights of democratic countries," Senator Payne said.
"(It's) a critical time for partners like Australia and the US to be closely joined in response to the actions of authoritarian states that are untenable, unacceptable, complete illegal violations, wholesale violations of international law."
Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has called on the federal government to take further action and ban Russian goods from entering the country.
"I encourage all those Australian companies to stop that operation. It is toxic to be doing any business," he told the Ten network.
"I have an indication there may be some companies in oil and gas and mining industries who still continue working in Russia. I will reach out to those companies directly."
The NATO meetings come as the White House introduces sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin's two adult daughters and a boycott of a number of meetings at the G20 in Indonesia if Russian officials show up.
Australian officials say there is a prima facie case of war crimes being committed by Russian troops in Ukraine.
During a hearing in Canberra, Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong pushed officials on why Russian diplomats were expelled from Australia over the use of the chemical agent Novichok to poison a former Russian military intelligence officer, but not after reports of war crimes.
"I do understand the logic of being cautious to get to an expulsion point," she said on Thursday.
"There must be a line where a country so demonstrates its unwillingness to adhere to international norms."
DFAT first assistant secretary Andrew Walter said the matter was under constant consideration.
"The foreign minister and the department are working closely with our partners to make sure that every step we take is measured, and indeed appropriate, and nothing has been ruled out in regards to this," he told the committee hearing.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has called for the expulsion of Russian diplomats, barring the ambassador, to hold the Kremlin accountable for the reported atrocities.
"It is hard to conceive how the decision can be made to allow these individuals to stay, given the sickening abuses being carried out by Russian forces," Mr Albanese said.
"The mass killing of innocent civilians and the use of rape as a weapon of war can only be described as war crimes."
Ukrainian officials say between 150 and 300 bodies lay in a single mass grave by a church in the town of Bucha following a withdrawal by Russian forces.
Russia denies targeting civilians during its retreat.
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