‘Will not be intimidated’: Australia hits back at Russia

The Albanese Government says Russia’s “threats” against Australia if troops are committed to any future peacekeeping missions in Ukraine will not work.

Australia will not be intimidated by Russia’s “threats” of “grave consequences” if troops are committed to any future peacekeeping missions in Ukraine, the Albanese Government says.

Health Minister Mark Butler said it was hard to perceive the Kremlin’s comments as “anything more or less than a pretty transparent attempt to intimidate Australia,” but he insisted it was not a deterrent for the government.

“As the Prime Minister and other senior ministers have said, if a request is made for Australia to contribute to peacekeeping operations in this region, then of course we would consider that,” he said.

“And that consideration would be on its merits, not according to whether or not a country like Russia, which started this war through its illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, tried to intimidate Australia.

“The Foreign Minister has made it very clear over the last 24 hours, Australia is not going to be intimidated.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Picture supplied

On Sunday, Mr Albanese confirmed he had spoken with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about Australia joining a peacekeeping force should a ceasefire be achieved in the Russia-Ukraine war.

But The Sydney Morning Herald reported Moscow’s reaction was unfavourable and involvement in a coalition would have consequences.

“Once again, Western boots on the ground are unacceptable for Russia, and we will not remain passive observers. To those inclined to construe the above as a threat: it is not; it is a warning,” the statement said.

“Russia has no intention to harm Australians, and Canberra can easily avoid trouble by simply refraining from irresponsible adventurism in the zone of the special military operation.

“Russia has repeatedly made it clear that foreign military presence in Ukraine is totally unacceptable.

“Canberra remains firmly on the side of war along with those in Europe who are betting on continuing and escalating the conflict despite encouraging shifts towards peace negotiations.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Ukraine President Zelensky. Posted July 4, 2022. Picture: X @AlboMP

Prime Minister Starmer’s office confirmed that he spoke to Anthony Albanese and “welcomed Prime Minister Albanese’s commitment to consider contributing to a Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine and looked forward to the Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris on Tuesday,” a spokesman said.

For his part, Mr Albanese said he had a “very constructive discussion with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, last night.”

“We did discuss the issue of Ukraine and the coalition of the willing, as he has put it, going forward,’’ he said.

‘TOO EARLY TO MAKE A CALL’: ALBANESE

“There will be a meeting of chiefs of Defence in Paris on Tuesday. Australia will send a senior representative to that meeting to discuss, going forward, both of our nations are very clear about our support for Ukraine and it of course is too early. You can’t have peacekeeping forces without having peace.”

Mr Albanese reiterated Australia “would consider” such a request in the future.

A readout of the conversation from a Downing Street spokesman said Mr Starmer “welcomed” Mr Albanese’s “commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine and looked forward to the chiefs of defence meeting in Paris”.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton on Sunday said he believed basing Australian Defence Force personnel over in Europe at this time was the “wrong decision”.

“It’s unbelievable that the Prime Minister’s talking about moving troops from Australia to station them, or to base them in Ukraine, when Italy, Germany, France has made no decision yet to base troops there,” he said.

“There’s no peace yet, there’s no peace to keep.”

Mr Dutton said given he and Mr Albanese agreed it was the “most precarious period since the Second World War” then Australia should be “doing everything we can to bolster our security and our defences, and to make sure that we’re investing in, and not taking away from, the capacity of the Australian Defence Force”.

“My judgement is that to base troops in Europe at the moment is the wrong decision for our country,” he said.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton. Picture: NewsWire / Richard Dobson

Australia’s military representative to NATO, Air Vice Marshall Di Turton will take part in the talks in France, which will also be attended major European defence chiefs.

European countries have been scrambling to boost support for Ukraine as US President Donald Trump pursues direct talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end Moscow’s three-year invasion of Ukraine.

Last week Mr Trump temporarily suspended the delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine just days after an explosive confrontation in the White House between the President and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

Mr Trump later revealed he received a letter from Mr Zelensky in which the Ukrainian leader expressed willingness to come to the negotiating table over the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians,” Trump said in an address to Congress on Tuesday while quoting from the letter.

A Ukrainian delegation was due to meet with US diplomats for peace talks hosted in Saudi Arabia overnight.

MUSK SAYS SANCTIONS RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS TO END UKRAINE WAR

Elon Musk has called for US sanctions against the top ten wealthiest Ukrainians to end the war, while claiming his own Starlink system is the “backbone of the Ukrainian army”.

The tech baron was responding to a post by Senator Mike Lee on X on Sunday that the US shouldn’t give money to Kyiv after protesters raised a Ukrainian flag in front of the White House.

“Place sanctions on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco, and this will stop immediately. That is the key to the puzzle,” Musk wrote.

Amid the backlash, one user accused him of attacking Ukraine more than Russia. In response, Musk reiterated his 2022 challenge for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to fight him.

“I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army,” he wrote. “Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off.”

“What I am sickened by is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose. Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop. PEACE NOW!!”

Musk challenged Putin to one-on-one combat in 2022 after Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine. The fight never happened.