Australia confirmed Tuesday it will be supplying Ukraine with $50 million in missiles, ammunition and other military hardware to help them repel the ongoing Russian invasion.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison clarified Australia’s commitment to Ukraine after U-turning on Monday and pledging “lethal aid”, as well as non-lethal support to Ukraine – an update from last week where Australia had only suggested it would provide humanitarian assistance.
“President Zelenskyy said: ‘Don’t give me a ride, give me ammunition’, and that’s exactly what the Australian government has agreed to do”, Morrison said during a press conference following a meeting of the Australian national security committee of cabinet in Canberra.
Morrison highlighted the “overwhelming majority” of the aid given to Ukraine will be used to fund equipment in the “lethal category”, The Herald Sun reports.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks with the media outside St Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Lidcombe on February 27, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. Morrison has committed to sending aid to Ukraine as Russia continues its offensive on Ukraine. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
“We’re talking missiles, we’re talking ammunition, we’re talking supporting them in their defense of their own homeland in Ukraine and we’ll be doing that in partnership with NATO”, Morrison continued.
Morrison refused to elaborate further on Australia’s plans, including how the materials would be transported as he claimed he didn’t want to give the “Russian government a heads up about what’s coming their way”, but emphasised that he “can assure them it is coming your way”, and that Australia is “in partnership with NATO”.
Alongside this, Australia will also be pledging $25 million to provide humanitarian aid via international charities to the Ukrainian people, where over 200 civilians have been killed by the Russian forces, with countless others injured.
The conservative coalition leader did not clarify whether Australian civilians would be able to legally travel to Ukraine and join the fight against Russia, like those from Britain have been allowed to do in a historic waiving of previous legislation by the British foreign secretary Liz Truss.
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