(Kyiv) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised on Sunday to increase military support for Ukraine, including the delivery of new armored vehicles, during the first visit to Kyiv by an Australian head of government.
Posted at 11:58 a.m.
“Australia will announce an additional $100 million in military support today, bringing our overall support to almost $390 million,” he said during a press briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Kyiv. He did not confirm whether it was 100 million Australian dollars (65 million euros), or 100 million American dollars, some 95 million euros.
Anthony Albanese said Canberra would provide “14 more armored personnel carriers and 20 more ‘Bushmaster’ armored vehicles”, as well as drones and assistance to Ukrainian border guards.
He added that Canberra intended to introduce new economic sanctions targeting Russia, as well as “travel bans targeting 16 additional ministers and oligarchs, to reach 843 individuals and 62 entities targeted by Australia”.
“We are going to ban the import of Russian gold to reduce Russia’s ability to finance its war,” he said, also saying he was “very honored to be the first Australian prime minister to visit Ukraine. “.
Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, hailed the “considerable aid, particularly in the field of defence”, provided by Australia.
Before this press conference, Anthony Albanese had visited Boutcha, Irpine and Gostomel, in the suburbs of Kyiv, which have become symbols of the atrocities of war. “Clearly, civilian areas have been targeted by Russian forces in this immoral and illegal war,” he said.
Mr Albanese also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would receive “the welcome he deserves” if he attends the G20 summit in November in Bali, Indonesia.
“If Mr. Putin attends this meeting […]he will receive the welcome he deserves which is not that of a friend, of someone who respects the international rule of law,” he said.