Dutton hails Ukrainian president ‘modern day hero’ who needs support

Australia’s stance on Ukraine has “diverged” from the United States, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has said as he declared the wartime European president a “modern day hero”.

Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton in Brisbane. Picture: John Gass

Australia’s stance on Ukraine has diverged from that of the US, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has said as he declared the wartime European president a modern-day hero.

Mr Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese both offered their support to the under-fire Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after European leaders signalled a “coalition of the willing” for peace in Ukraine overnight.

The bipartisan support comes after the disastrous White House meeting on Friday where President Donald Trump publicly clashed with Mr Zelensky declaring he was “gambling with World War III”, just days after calling the Ukranian president a dictator.

In Brisbane on Monday, Mr Dutton said he was disappointed by what played out between the two presidents.

Mr Dutton labelled Mr Zelensky a modern-day hero and war hero who deserved support.

“What is obvious is that the world needs to unite behind President Zelensky to stand up against a murderous dictator in Vladimir Putin,” he said.

“Vladimir Putin has no regard for human life.

“He’s demonstrated that with his own people, let alone what he’s done against Ukraine and Ukrainian people.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton. Picture: John Gass

“So we stand very strongly behind and with President Zelensky.

“There will be no deviation from that whatsoever.”

Mr Dutton said he trusted the US as a reliable and important ally but their stance on Ukraine had diverged from that of Australias.

His comment comes after a Redbridge-Accent poll found two-thirds of voters wanted a prime minister who could manage Australia’s relationship with US President Donald Trump, with more respondents believing Mr Dutton was best equipped to do so over Mr Albanese.

“Australia’s interests are best served by a strong relationship with the United States,” Mr Dutton said.

“In relation to Ukraine, the Australian view at the moment is different to the United States and my job as Prime Minister will be to lobby the president of the United States to reconsider his position in relation to Ukraine, because I think it’s in all of our collective best interests.”

Mr Dutton said there was no need for Australia to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine as part of the UK-European “coalition of the willing”.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: Christophe Ena

“We should continue our support for Ukraine,” he said.

“Everyone wants peace across the world.

“We want Putin to retreat from Ukraine and to stop the attacks.”

Mr Albanese said Australia’s ongoing support for Ukraine was “an issue of doing what’s right but also what is in Australia’s national interest”

“People would also be aware of the government’s strong statements that we have made in support of Ukraine,” Mr Albanese said.

“The brave people of Ukraine, led so extraordinarily by President Zelensky, are fighting not just for their national sovereignty and for their democracy, they are fighting for the international rule of law and it is an easy choice that Australia has made, it’s a bipartisan position that Australia has had.”

Mr Albanese confirmed that Australia had contributed $1.5bn of support to Ukraine, $1.3bn of which has been military support.

Originally published as Dutton hails Ukrainian president ‘modern day hero’ who needs support