PM Anthony Albanese condemns Kremenchuk shopping mall strike

Australia is considering reopening its embassy in Ukraine to offer more on-the-ground support, as PM Anthony Albanese condemned Russia’s missile strike on a shopping mall.

Australia is considering reopening its embassy in Ukraine to offer more on-the-ground support, as Anthony Albanese condemns Russia’s “atrocities” against civilians.

The Prime Minister has revealed he is currently in talks and taking security advice on reopening a consular presence in Ukraine, four months after Australia closed its embassy in Kyiv due to the risks posed by the Russian invasion.

“Australia is considering (reopening the embassy) and that is one of the issues that has been examined over recent days and weeks and we’ll continue to do that,” he said.

“We would like to have a presence on the ground (in Ukraine) to assist and to be able to provide an on-the-ground presence.”

Speaking ahead of a one-on-one meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid on the sidelines of the NATO Summit on Tuesday, Mr Albanese condemned a Russian missile strike on a shopping centre in Kremenchuk, in Ukraine’s east.

18 people have been killed and 36 are missing after a Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk. Picture: Ukraine's State Emergency Service / AFP

“What we’ve seen here is a tragic consequence of at least 18 people killed in a shopping mall where over 1000 people were present,” he said.

“This is a civilian target.”

Mr Albanese said the “illegal war of aggression” by Russia “must stop”.

“(Russian President) Vladimir Putin is uniting the world against him with this sort of atrocity,” he said.

“(The war in Ukraine) is one of the reasons why I’m here at NATO, and will be a focus on the democratic nations, which make up NATO, and also the Asia Pacific who’ve been invited to this important forum.”

Asked if the recent Russian missile strikes in Ukraine would impact any decision to visit Kyiv while in Europe, Mr Albanese said he would “continue to take security advice” on the issue.

“We have a security situation that is changing day by day,” he said.

PM TOUCHES DOWN IN MADRID

The world standing in “solidarity” with Ukraine against Russia will send a strong message to China about its own “forward leaning” actions, Anthony Albanese has declared.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend a NATO Leaders Summit where the world will stand in “solidarity” with Ukraine.

The Prime Minister arrived in Madrid overnight ahead of two days of meetings with world leaders as he attends the NATO Summit as part of the “Asia Pacific Four,” which also includes New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.

Mr Albanese said the Summit was “an important meeting at a critical time for the world”.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine has broken international law,” he said.

“What we know is that this brutal invasion is having real consequences for the people of Ukraine.

“And the people of Ukraine are inspiring the world with struggling to defend their national sovereignty.”

Mr Albanese said the invasion was also having an impact beyond Ukraine, including in Australia, where petrol prices are soaring and supply chains have been disrupted as a result of the war.

The Prime Minister said the widespread support for Ukraine was a lesson for not just Russia, which has “failed” in its attempt to quickly takeover the Eastern European nation, but also for China.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine of course came in just after … a special relationship between Russia and China (was signed),” he said.

“That reinforces the need for us to be engaged, and I’m very pleased to be here, representing Australia at this NATO Summit.”

Mr Albanese met with ADF personnel and diplomats at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates before heading to Madrid. Picture: Supplied

The “closeness” of Russia and China is a major security concern Anthony Albanese will raise at the high-level meeting of world leaders in Spain, where western democracies will also discuss further support for Ukraine.

Speaking on the tarmac in Sydney ahead of his flight to Europe on Sunday, Mr Albanese said the NATO Summit was an “absolutely critical” opportunity for Australia to work with like minded nations to combat emerging security threats.

“We live in an uncertain world,” he said.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine has upset the norms that we regarded that the rule of law would be maintained that sovereign nation’s borders would be respected.”

Mr Albanese described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “brutal”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon board their plane to Europe for a NATO leaders’ summit. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

“The people of Ukraine are doing the democratic world, an enormous service,” he said.

“But it’s important that democratic nations stand with Ukraine. And that’s the context of this NATO Summit.”

Mr Albanese said the “closeness” of Russia and China in recent times meant the NATO meeting was “very important” for the Asia Pacific region.

“I look forward to attending the NATO Summit and contributing,” he said.

Mr Albanese said he was also looking forward to one-on-one meetings with key leaders including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Mr Albanese may join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Picture: Sergei Supinsky / AFP

Mr Albanese said he was still taking “security advice” on whether he would take up Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky’s offer to travel to Kyiv.

“We regard it as a good thing if it (the trip) is able to happen,” Mr Albanese said.

“We don’t want to cause a circumstance whereby there’s risk to Australian personnel by undertaking such a visit, but we’ll take that advice and we’ll act accordingly,” he said last week.

The Prime Minister also addressed the US Supreme Court’s controversial decision to overturn a decades-long standing abortion ruling, calling it a “setback” for women’s health and safety globally.

Anthony Albanese said the overturning of Roe V Wade, which was a landmark 1973 court decision ruling the US constitution generally protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion, was a “concern”.

Abortion rights demonstrators gather near the State Capitol in Austin, Texas. The Roe V Wade decision galvanised sweeping protests across the United States. Picture: Suzanne Cordeiro / AFP

“The concern that is there from women, I think globally, is that this is a setback for women’s health and for the issue of women’s safety as well,” he said.

“This is a decision which goes to the heart of a woman’s right to control her own body.”

Mr Albanese said those issues weren’t the “subject of partisan political debate in Australia”.

“And that’s a good thing,” he said.

“It’s good here that we don’t deal with it in the same way that has seen the division in the United States.”

Australia has been invited to attend the significant NATO gathering to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and other national security issues as part of the “Asia Pacific Four,” which also includes Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

Though Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be a key feature of the NATO talks, which will include the leaders of the US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK, the “challenge” of China will also be discussed.

NATO countries have been careful not to brand China as an “adversary,” but are increasingly interested in the rise of the superpower and how to manage Beijing’s coercive behaviour.

It is understood Australia’s attendance at the summit in Madrid is part of a broader recognition of the need to work with “like-minded countries” who don’t share China’s values.

On the sidelines of the main NATO event Mr Albanese is expected to meet with a number of world leaders for the first time since he was elected prime minister in May.

Mr Albanese will meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, before attending a royal gala dinner hosted by King Felipe VI of Spain.

He is also expected to attend bilateral meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with sources saying a meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also a possibility.

After NATO Mr Albanese will travel to Paris where he will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in what has been hailed as a significant step toward repairing the relationship after Australia opted to dump a $90 billion submarine deal with France.

While in Paris Mr Albanese will also speak at a special session of the OECD council, and meet with senior French business people.