Australia will give Ukraine heavy artillery weapons and ammunition as Russia steps up its offensive in the Donbas.
The $26.7 million package of military assistance will see Ukraine provided with six M777 lightweight towed howitzers along with ammunition.
It takes Australia’s military assistance contribution to Ukraine to $225 million, with a further $65 million provided in humanitarian aid along with more than 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Peter Dutton said in a statement the equipment offers further support to combat Russia’s “brutal, unrelenting and illegal invasion”.
“The Australian government will continue to identify opportunities for further military assistance where it is able to provide a required capability to the Ukraine Armed Forces expeditiously,” Mr Morrison said.
“The Australian government reiterates our strongest support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and for the people of Ukraine.
“Australia stands with the people of Ukraine, and again calls on Russia to cease its unprovoked, unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
The new support package comes as Australian representatives attended a meeting hosted by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on the response to Ukraine.
Australia was one of 40 nations in attendance at the meeting at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where Mr Austin pledged additional military support for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has highlighted the need for more military equipment to be sent to the besieged nation.
Speaking at an event in Canberra on Tuesday, Mr Myroshnychenko warned Russian aggression could lead to a domino effect in other nations, including in the Indo-Pacific.
“We need it all to be able to defend, to defend Ukraine, defend Europe, and defend all the values and freedom and democracy,” he said.
