Australia to send arsenal of weapons to help Ukraine

Australia’s Deputy PM Richard Marles has revealed we will send a massive arsenal of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine in our biggest display of support since Russia’s invasion.

Australia will send a massive arsenal of missiles and ammunition to Ukraine in a $250m military assistance package that is the biggest the government has provided since Russia’s invasion.

Australian defence personnel will also be embedded in a new NATO program to co-ordinate equipment and training for Ukraine, as part of the sweeping commitment announced by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Washington DC.

Air defence missiles, air-to-ground guided weapons, anti-tank weapons, and artillery, mortar, cannon and small arms ammunition will all be rushed to the front line, along with a shipment of boots for Ukraine’s armed forces almost two and a half years after Russia invaded.

“The delivery of highly capable air defence capabilities and air-to-ground precision munitions represents Australia’s largest single support package for Ukraine, and will make an enormous contribution to its efforts to end the conflict on its terms,” Mr Marles said.

Deputy Prime Minister in Washington for NATO Richard Marles. Picture: @RichardMarlesMP on X

He unveiled the package in talks with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky and the leaders of Japan, South Korea and New Zealand on the sidelines of NATO’s 75th anniversary summit, followed by a brief meeting with embattled US President Joe Biden.

“Australia is proud to stand with its partners at this historic NATO summit to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the government of Ukraine,” the Defence Minister said.

“Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine stands as an affront to international law and the rules-based order.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. Picture: AFP

Mr Marles said there was an “enormous sense of gratitude” from Mr Zelensky for Australia’s support, and that they discussed further ways the Indo-Pacific nations could help in his country’s fight against Russia.

“We’ll continue to work with them on how we can contribute in the future, and we certainly need to contribute in the future,” he said.

“This will not be the last package that we announce.”

The package takes Australia’s total assistance to Ukraine to $1.3 billion since the war began. It also responds to criticisms from the Coalition about Australia’s support for Ukraine that were sharpened after Anthony Albanese decided not to attend the NATO summit.

American Enterprise Institute security expert Eric Sayers said the Prime Minister’s absence was “very disappointing” and “unnecessarily opens Canberra up to questions of commitment”.

A senior NATO official said the alliance would have loved Mr Albanese to have attended – after he was part of the previous two summits – but that his other commitments were understood and Australia’s support of Ukraine was appreciated.

After his brief meeting with Mr Biden, Mr Marles said the President expressed appreciation for “the role that all four countries are playing in maintaining the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific”. He praised the “amazing degree of engagement from America in our part of the world”.

It came as NATO leaders agreed Ukraine was on an “irreversible” path to membership of the military alliance – but only after its war against Russia had ended.

"United with Ukraine" and the Ukraine flag have been painted onto the sides of Australian Army Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles we have previously supplied to Ukraine.

“This will not make NATO a party to the conflict, but it will help Ukraine uphold its right to self-defence,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

The alliance’s 32 members also issued their toughest declaration yet on China, accusing Beijing of being “a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine” and demanding it stop supplying military equipment to Moscow.

The Defence Minister has urged the US to keep backing Ukraine in its fight against Russia, amid fears the return of Donald Trump could leave Kyiv without the superpower’s full support.

The former president has promised to end the war in a day if he is re-elected in November, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to urge Trump to come clean about his plan in case it meant his country would “lose statehood”.

“We want to understand whether in November we will have the powerful support of the US, or will be all alone,” he said earlier this month.

Heads of state pose for a group photo during the NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event. Picture: AFP

Mr Marles said American leadership in aiding Kyiv had been “really important” and needed to continue, regardless of whether Trump returned to power.

“We see that Ukraine being able to resolve this conflict on its terms is in Australia’s national interest,” the Defence Minister said.

“We certainly will be standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Mr Marles said the global-rules based order was “under as much pressure now as it’s been really at any point” since then, not only in Ukraine but with China’s increasing military aggression in the Indo-Pacific, which will also be a key focus this week for NATO leaders.

Opening the summit, US President Joe Biden announced hundreds of missile interceptors would be provided to Ukraine to bolster its defences at what he said was a “pivotal moment”.

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants nothing less than Ukraine’s total subjugation,” he said.

“We know Putin won’t stop at Ukraine … but Ukraine can and will stop Putin.”

“The war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country.”

While the summit was set to be overshadowed by Mr Biden’s political struggles, Mr Marles sidestepped questions about the 81-year-old’s fitness to seek a second term and instead praised the “strong leadership” his administration had offered.

“We could not be more pleased with that … and that is absolutely critical in terms of the challenges that the world faces today,” he said.

“Whoever is elected president in November of this year, we will work with, and I am sure that the alliance between America and Australia will continue to be strong.”

Originally published as Australia to send arsenal of weapons to help Ukraine