Key Points
- Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles announced fresh military aid for Ukraine while visiting the war-torn nation.
- The $100 million opackage includes unmanned drones, air defence systems, and safety equipment.
- Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Australia has pledged an extra $100 million in support for Ukraine off the back of the defence minister’s visit to the war-torn nation.
The package includes $50 million for short-range air defence systems, $30 million for unmanned drones and $15 million for “high priority” equipment such as combat helmets, inflatable boats, boots, fire masks and generators.
Ukraine will also receive air-to-ground precision munitions.
It brings Australia’s total contributions to more than $1 billion since Russia’s invasion, including about $880 million of military assistance.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles met Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Deputy Defence Minister Ivan Havryliuk during a one-day trip to the war-torn nation.
Marles met with Ukrainian government officials and toured defence sites during a visit to Lviv in the country’s far west, near the Polish border.
He also laid a wreath at a commemoration ceremony for former graduates who had been killed during his visit to the National Army Academy, where he also met the next generation of Ukrainian army leaders.
It was important to visit the country in person as a show of support, Marles said.
“It’s really important that the world doesn’t forget Ukraine, it matters that people are coming here and that people and countries are continuing to provide support,” he told reporters in Lviv on Saturday, local time.
“So that’s why we felt it was very important, on this occasion, not just to announce a tranche of support but to announce it here in Ukraine.”
The new tranche was “by no means the end”, he said as he pledged Australia’s enduring support.
Shmyhal thanked Australia and the minister for his visit while standing alongside Marles in Lviv.
“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the people and government of Australia for a clear and consistent position on Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity and condemning Russian aggression,” he said.
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations welcomed the additional support, but called for the government to include more funding in the upcoming federal budget.
“This is desperately needed to overcome hesitancy in the Department of Defence, which appears increasingly reluctant to pledge money or kit to Ukraine — even the things Australia doesn’t need, like Taipan helicopters,” co-chair Stefan Romaniw said.
He said when it came to aid for Ukraine, Australia was last among the developed G20 countries.
“Now is the time to be bold, to double down, and to act quickly. Help Ukrainians hold the line. Defending democracy isn’t easy, fast or cheap. But it is the right thing to do.”
The federal Opposition also said the government should go further, calling for it to approve a request for coal shipments to shore up Ukraine’s energy grid.
It also urged the government to provide any parts of — which officials previously ruled out due to safety concerns
“The Coalition strongly welcomes additional support for Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion,” Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham and defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said in a joint statement.
Australia has previously provided Ukraine with armoured trucks and vehicles including , six boats, de-mining and counter-drone systems, and ammunition.
During his overseas trip, Marles also visited Poland where he met his deputy prime minister and defence counterpart Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz to discuss .
It has been more than two years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the United Nations confirming at least 10,242 civilians have been killed and more than 19,300 injured.
