Why Anthony Albanese was right to visit Ukraine

Anthony Albanese’s visit to Ukraine was rich in symbolism, writes Greg Sheridan. Picture: AFP / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service

Australia is not a central player in the war in Ukraine, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was right to make the visit.

It was rich in symbolism, and symbolism certainly has its place in foreign affairs. Indeed, symbolism has often played a critical role in geo-strategic conflicts.

That symbolism also has a moral purpose. Albanese is absolutely right to express Australia’s moral revulsion at Russia’s invasion and our national solidarity with Ukraine.

Albanese’s trip to Europe has underlined the connection between European security and Asian security.

At the most elevated terms, the Australian leader’s visit demonstrates that democracies will stand together against unjustified military aggression and invasion carried out by expansionist dictatorships, especially the big powers of Russia and China.

At a slightly less elevated level, if Asian democracies like Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand make a contribution to NATO area security, it is more likely that NATO will make a contribution to Asian security.

NATO is the biggest, richest military alliance in the world. The US alliance system in Asia, involving Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand, as well as a range of countries which are not formal allies but co-operate closely on security, is the main principle and guarantor of order in the Asian theatre.

So this effort by Albanese is a good effort.

Having said all that, symbolism also has its risks. Australia’s overwhelming focus is our own region and we mustn’t be distracted from that.

Similarly, the only military hardware we should donate to Ukraine should be items which we manufacture in Australia and where we can increase our production run. It makes no sense for us to import kit from overseas, transport it to Australia, and then donate it on to Ukraine.

At the same time, there is no military useful kit that we have in sufficient quantities for our own needs in the event of any hostilities – though I would be happy to give away all our tanks and rid ourselves of the ludicrous expenditure on tanks which we will never use in the acute maritime challenges ahead.

Much better just to give Ukraine money to buy the weapons they need where they can.

Albanese will rightly soon travel to the South Pacific Forum. Criticism of him for travelling too much is foolish and premature. Most of these trips have been necessary – what would it say of an Australian Prime Minister who refused to attend a Quadrilateral Summit? All of the trips have been useful.

Similarly the PM was well advised to give the Commonwealth summit a miss.

But the priorities now are in Australia, not least building genuine defence capabilities as quickly as possible.