Australia rules out sending military support to Ukraine

Australia has held a strategic meeting with UK officials where the threat of China in the Indo-Pacific was high on the agenda.

Australia has ruled out sending direct military support to Ukraine following high-level talks with Britain on Friday, when it was agreed to stand “shoulder to shoulder” amid increased economic coercion from China.

Speaking following the landmark talks in Sydney, UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss said threats were rising across the world.

“Russia is threatening Ukraine, amassing troops on the border. Iran is striving for a nuclear weapon and China is using its economic muscle against Australia and other allies like Lithuania,” she said.

“What we have shown today is that we are completely united in our response.

“We’re standing shoulder to shoulder in defence of freedom and democracy, and we’re determined to face down these growing threats.”

Ms Truss and UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace met with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton as part of bilateral AUKMIN talks – the first in-person talks of their kind since the pandemic.

When asked by journalists after the meeting about Australia sending direct military support to the Ukraine, Ms Payne ruled that out.

The meeting took place in Sydney. Picture: Bianca De Marchi-Pool/Getty Images

She said she had been in discussions with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister two days ago.

“I indicated that Australia would be prepared to consider requests in areas in which we could assist to Ukraine and no formal requests have been made,” she said.

“To be clear, that is not about direct military support. That is not on the table from Australia’s perspective.”

Mr Wallace said it was not a problem that Australia was not providing any concrete support to European security, despite the UK’s commitment to the AUKUS submarine pact.

“It is not a competition or a transactional relationship,” he said.

“If you go home to your wife or husband, you do not sit down and have a transactional discussion each day.

“Our relationship with Australian security and defence is fundamentally not about what can we get in exchange, it’s about how can we strengthen what we all stand for and help each other.”

Marise Payne ruled out direct military support to Ukraine.

Mr Dutton confirmed they had discussed UK submarines and other vessels making more regular visits to Australia.

“We will see more, not just from the UK, but from the United States,” he said.

“We’re seeing greater interest, of course, from even the Germans and other European nations, more people that understand what is happening in terms of the coercion and bullying taking place within the Indo-Pacific.”