Election 2025: Labor firm on tanks and Ukraine deployment

Anthony Albanese says Australia remains open to contributing peacekeeping troops to a “coalition of the willing” in Ukraine as the UK prepares to scale back the mission.

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank. Picture: Defence

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Anthony Albanese says Australia remains open to contributing peacekeeping troops to a ­“coalition of the willing” in Ukraine as Britain prepares to scale back the mission to a ­training-only deployment well behind the frontline.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday declined to criticise the Trump administration for delays in shipping Australian Army tanks to Ukraine, instead blaming “logistical issues”.

The tanks were promised to Ukraine more than six months ago but are yet to leave the country because the US congress is yet to approve the transfer of the American-made M1A1 tanks, as required by US law.

“There are logistical issues of course in moving tanks – (they are) not something you can put on a fax machine – and you need to make sure you get it right,” Mr Albanese said.

He said Labor was committed to supporting Ukraine, nominating the issue as “one of the big differences as well at this election campaign”.

“We have said we are prepared … in a peace situation to be part of a coalition of the willing, keeping the peace. Peter Dutton has opposed that,“ Mr Albanese said.

His pledge to commit troops to the war-torn country was made in response to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron’s planned peacekeeping mission.

Recent reports in the UK say Britain is likely to abandon its plan to send thousands of troops to Ukraine because the risks are deemed too high. The Times reported Britain and Europe would no longer have a ground force guarding key Ukrainian cities, ports and nuclear power plants to secure the peace.

The security commitment would instead focus on training and rearmament of Kyiv’s army, with British and French military personnel to be stationed in western Ukraine, well away from Russian troops.

British and French aircraft would protect Ukraine’s air space and provide air cover to Western troops on the ground, the Times reported, while Turkey would provide maritime support.

Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations chair Kateryna Argyrou said it was frustrating the tanks were not yet on their way to the frontline. “These tanks were desperately needed when they were pledged in October, so they are absolutely critical right now as the war evolves day by day,” she said.

“Just like the (Australian-­donated) Bushmasters, these tanks will be worth their weight in gold on the battlefield.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared a unilateral 72 hour ceasefire in Ukraine next month in a move met with scepticism by Ukraine, which has demanded a permanent truce.