Australia will supply Ukraine with air defence missiles, air-to-ground weapons and anti-tank weapons as part of the new package worth $250 million.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles unveiled the new tranche of support while in Washington for a NATO summit where Russia's invasion of Ukraine was high on the agenda.
The — Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) #NATOSummit comes at a critical time for global security.An honour to join NATO and Indo-Pacific leaders at the White House this evening for the 75th anniversary of the historic alliance.We all share a vision for a world that is open, peaceful and prosperous. pic.twitter.com/zC5Otg8R8TJuly 11, 2024
There has been a renewed focus on air defence systems after a deadly barrage of Russian missiles killed about 40 people across the country and struck a children's hospital in the capital Kyiv.
"We've been continuing to work with Ukraine around the support that we can provide. And we've made clear to Ukraine, really from the outset, that we would be standing with them for as long as it takes," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"It's obviously important that Ukraine has been supported in this moment in a way which enables it to resolve the conflict on its own terms - I think that support is there."
Mr Marles met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alongside other leaders from the so-called Indo-Pacific four nations on the sideline of the summit.
"The sense of resolve amongst NATO members and other countries, including ourselves, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, was manifest," Mr Marles said.
On top of the new missiles, Australia will supply artillery, mortar, cannon and small arms ammunition as well as a shipment of boots.
Australia will join NATO's new security and training initiative for Ukraine as a non-member partner, which will enable defence personnel to contribute to planning and NATO-led military activity.
A small number of people who are already working in Europe will transfer to the NATO initiative in the first instance, Mr Marles said.
Mr Marles again condemned the hospital strike but stopped short of criticising the Indian prime minister for travelling to Russia and meeting President Vladimir Putin in the same week, saying Australia was focused on supporting Ukraine.
"Our position in relation to Russia is absolutely clear," he said.
Defence Minister Richard Marles has unveiled a new tranche of Australian support for Ukraine. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
The defence minister also signed a memorandum of understanding on the drone coalition for Ukraine while in Washington.
The US has also announced further air defence aid for Ukraine, with former Ukrainian defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk saying the recent barrage of Russian rockets showed they "learned how to overwhelm existing systems".
NATO nations also needed to work on a plan to end the war, rather than prop up Ukraine's defence, so it does not continue to drag on, he said.
Mr Zagorodnyuk urged Australia to "talk to American politicians and ... world politicians and Western politicians, and indeed, stress the necessity of having a plan".
Opposition foreign spokesman Simon Birmingham welcomed the latest round of military aid.
"Additional Australian support for Ukraine is welcome, especially the provision of missiles and weapons so clearly needed to defeat Russia," he said on social media platform X.
"Ukraine's fight isn't just a fight for Ukraine, but it is a test of the willingness of leading democracies to stand firm against aggression."
