Australia pledges extra $60m for Ukraine at Albanese-Zelenskyy meeting
Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced a further $60m in support for Ukraine during an emotional meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York, alongside a new 10-year bilateral security agreement.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, announcing an additional $60m in Australian support for Ukraine's defence against Russia's invasion. The two leaders embraced during the meeting, with an emotional Albanese praising Zelenskyy, whom he called his friend, for what he described as extraordinary leadership under extremely difficult circumstances.
The leaders signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement that will deliver an extra $45m in Australian Defence Force equipment to Ukraine. A further $10m will support Ukraine's energy sector, while $5m will go toward humanitarian assistance. The new funding brings Australia's total contribution to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion to $1.9bn.
Future cooperation
Under the agreement, Australia will also increase training support for Ukrainian forces to help deter and repel any future Russian attacks. The two countries will explore cooperation on training centres and joint production of air-defence systems, missiles and drones.
Albanese said the issue extended beyond Europe to the entire world, warning that allowing a large, powerful country like Russia to profit from breaking international law would set a dangerous precedent globally. He added that the bilateral agreement would remain in place not only during the war but also during peacetime once the conflict ends.
Zelenskyy described the agreement as the strongest document between the two countries, saying it would boost both trade and security.
It was a busy day of diplomacy for Albanese, who also addressed the Atlantic Council with a major foreign policy speech and signed a new strategic partnership with the Netherlands aimed at strengthening defence ties and securing justice for victims of the downing of flight MH17. In his speech, the prime minister was expected to argue that the post-1945 international order is no longer fit for purpose and that existing institutions are not always sufficient to meet today's challenges.
