Australia strengthens ties with Ukraine as foreign minister makes Kyiv visit first times in ten years

On 18 December, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced Australia will soon fully resume operations at its embassy in Kyiv.

Recently, Australia committed to supplying Ukraine with 49 Abrams tanks and 14 patrol boats, bringing the total amount of Australian assistance to over $1 billion, including $880 million in military aid.

During her historic visit to Ukraine—the first bilateral trip by an Australian Foreign Minister in ten years—Penny Wong met with her Ukrainian counterpart, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, in Kyiv.

The two ministers held a meeting primarly focused on expanding Australia’s support for Ukraine. They agreed to fully restore the operations of the Australian Embassy in Ukraine. Sybiha expressed confidence that this step would further strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.

The talks also addressed the growing threats posed by deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

“Supporting Ukraine is in Australia’s direct interest as it strengthens stability not only in Europe but also in the Indo-Pacific region. We must increase pressure on the aggressor state and raise the cost of war for the Kremlin,” Sybiha emphasized.

The Ukrainian foreign minister invited Australia to participate in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Italy next year, highlighting the importance of involving Australian companies in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts.

The Ukrainian minister also briefed Wong on the urgent needs of Ukraine’s military and requested additional military support, including Australian Bushmaster armored vehicles. He further proposed that Australia consider Ukraine’s needs when decommissioning military equipment from the Australian Defense Force’s arsenal.

Wong announced that Australia would contribute €50 million to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support Ukraine.

The contribution will enable Ukraine to access nearly $400 million in additional loans over the next 10 years to aid post-war recovery. Additionally, Australia will allocate $6.39 million to bolster Ukraine’s energy sector.

In November, Australia donated an undisclosed number of Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended-Range (JDAM-ER) glide bombs to Ukraine following their withdrawal from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Ukraine is actively using these bombs against hardened Russian targets, including bridges and command posts, showcasing the successful integration of advanced NATO weaponry with older Soviet-era aircraft.

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