Australia will donate an additional 30 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to Ukraine, Anthony Albanese has announced.
The prime minister met with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Lithuania on Wednesday night, where he pledged further military aid to support the country in its fight against Russia.
The package builds on Australia’s previous commitment of 90 Bushmasters, taking the total number to 120.
Australia has provided more than $710m in military aid, with overall support reaching a total of $890m.
Albanese said Australia remained steadfast in its commitment to support Ukraine and said it was proud to provide the additional vehicles “to assist the brave men and women fighting for their home and their nation’s sovereignty”.
“Australia will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as is necessary and we will continue to provide support for Ukraine,” Albanese said after his meeting with Zelenskiy.
“We understand that in today’s interconnected world, Ukraine is not just fighting for its own national sovereignty; it is fighting for the international rule of law to be applied, and this is a struggle that has implications for the entire world.”
Zelenskiy expressed his gratitude after the meeting.
“Thank you! A powerful new defence package, including 30 Bushmasters,” he wrote on the Telegram app.
Australia this week announced a further step in its support for Ukraine – the deployment of an RAAF E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to protect the flow of assistance.
Earlier, Albanese told Nato leaders Australia’s partnership with the security alliance is crucial for global peace and prosperity.
The prime minister is in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius as part of a group of four Indo-Pacific nations sharing their concerns with European and other Nato partners about the global impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Nato members invited Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea to provide insight into broader security challenges such as China’s military expansion.
Albanese spoke at the summit, where it is understood he told leaders keeping the peace was not simply the responsibility of major powers but that all countries needed to contribute to the world’s collective resilience.
The prime minister also met with a bipartisan delegation of US senators who will play a role in passing laws to enable the transfer of Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia under the Aukus partnership.
Trade and climate were on the agenda for a meeting with the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday.
