Time is now for world to bolster support for Ukraine

Anthony Albanese’s eloquent assurance to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – that “we will remain with you as long as this takes for you to restore your sovereignty and repel this brutal invasion” – was a commitment deserving of the strong support of all Australians. The timing and setting of the Prime Minister’s commitment – in Vilnius, on the sidelines of the most important NATO summit in years – could not have been more appropriate. Australia may be 15,000km from the battlefield where Ukraine is waging its heroic struggle against Vladimir Putin’s monstrous, neo-imperialist onslaught on freedom and democracy. But the fight, as Mr Albanese repeatedly pointed out during the summit, is no less relevant to our interests and those of other democracies in the Asia-Pacific region than it is to the countries of the North Atlantic and Europe. The defence of freedom that lies at the heart of the battle is, as President Joe Biden told the summit, “the calling of our lifetime … of all time”.

It is to Mr Albanese’s credit that he has not just continued but doubled down on Australia’s strong support for Ukraine initiated by the former Morrison government. His announcement when he met Mr Zelensky on Wednesday, that we will provide another 30 of our Bushmaster armoured vehicles, is a further sign of that. But there is, as Greg Sheridan wrote on Thursday, a need to do more, and it is imperative Mr Albanese acts on pleas from Mr Zelensky to do so. Sheridan’s view that there is “no reason we could not give substantially more Bushmasters to the Ukrainians” is correct. So is Sheridan’s conclusion that the totality of Australia’s support for Ukraine, so far, has been “utterly paltry” despite “completely ropey” government claims that it amounts to almost $900m.

The summit left no doubt, too, that the 33 NATO states should be doing more to achieve the defeat of the Russian tyrant’s inhumane evil (Australia is not a member of the alliance). Mr Zelensky’s not unreasonable hope ahead of the gathering was that a clear timetable to full NATO membership for Kyiv would emerge, just as it did in response to membership applications from Finland and Sweden. Crucially, doing so would have ensured Ukraine’s inclusion in article 5 of the alliance’s treaty, under which all members are obliged to come to the aid of a member under attack. Mr Zelensky was annoyed that did not happen. He described the unwillingness to do so as “absurd” and a sign of “Western dithering”. That drew a sour response from British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who advised him to display more “gratitude” if he wanted the West to continue to send weapons to Ukraine. Mr Wallace’s rebuke could hardly have been more inappropriate at a time when Ukraine is involved in a fight for its very survival, with Pentagon estimates that the country has so far suffered 131,000 casualties and massive devastation in 16 months of fighting, with some 17,500 killed in action.

Such numbers underline the urgent need for NATO and its allies to do much more to achieve victory against Mr Putin in as short a time as possible. The vaunted Ukrainian counteroffensive is going more slowly than was hoped, although there are signs Russian lines are beginning to crack. A Centre for Strategic and International Studies analysis estimates Russia is losing 35 times more soldiers each month in Ukraine than it did as the Soviet Union in its ignominious, and ultimately pointless, 10-year war in Afghanistan. Russian casualties in Ukraine, the Pentagon believes, are running at a staggering 223,000 so far and are expected to increase sharply. With Mr Putin mired in byzantine political manoeuvres to neutralise the damaging effects of the Prigozhin mutiny, the Russian despot is believed to be under strong pressure to launch his own counteroffensive. Amid such turbulence, now, more than ever, Kyiv needs weapons – not just vague promises of F-16 combat aircraft in the future, but desperately needed ammunition and other ordnance capable of tilting the balance in Ukraine’s favour now.

The summit was evidence of the extraordinary level of unity and cohesion Mr Biden has managed to build among NATO partners and allies since Mr Putin launched his invasion. Few would have expected that after the divisions within the alliance caused by former president Donald Trump’s constant abuse of NATO members and his declared friendship with, and admiration for, Mr Putin. Mr Biden has done well to lead the fightback against Mr Putin’s villainy. US military support for Ukraine is running at a staggering $US83bn. The unity of purpose achieved at the NATO summit should leave Mr Putin in no doubt about how hopelessly deluded he was when he launched his invasion with the expectation it would be over in a few days with Russia’s capture of Kyiv.

The war is at a critical juncture. More must be done to speed victory. Mr Albanese’s pledge that Australia “will remain with you as long as this takes” is one that leaders everywhere who are concerned for human decency and freedom should follow. Mr Zelensky’s heroic fight and that of Ukraine’s people deserves no less. They urgently need more help, and they must get it without delay.