Ukraine is calling for more support from Australia and other nations to fend off Russia’s invasion ahead of a major diplomatic meeting.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and world leaders on a virtual hook-up where he was briefed about US President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Russian counterpart.
The coalition of the willing, which includes more than 30 nations united in their support for Ukraine, held a phone call overnight (AEST) convened by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Mr Albanese described it as “a very constructive meeting”.
“We stand with Ukraine. We want to see peace in the region,” he told Sky News on Monday.
“Ukraine must, of course, not have a solution imposed on it. They need to be a part of those negotiations.”
Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko called for further international pressure on Russia ahead of Mr Zelenskiy’s meeting with Mr Trump in the Oval Office on Monday (local time).
He welcomed Australia’s support, saying international pressure needed to remain on Russia, including by choking its economy with sanctions to impede its ability to wage war.
“It’s important you’re part of it and Australia is committed,” Mr Myroshnychenko told AAP.
“The main purpose of the coalition of the willing was to help Ukraine win the war on just terms, and the way to do it is to put pressure on Russia, put new sanctions on Russia.
“What’s important is the consistency of that. What’s important is Australia keeps on doing it.”
Australia has committed $1.5 billion in support for Ukraine, with the last military aid package of 49 Abrams tanks announced in October 2024.
The ambassador called for more support to aid Ukraine’s defences, including further armoured personnel vehicles.
“Any security guarantees for Ukraine includes a strong military,” he said.
“At the end of the day, Russia didn’t commit to anything, they didn’t say they were going to stop.”
Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said he wouldn’t pre-empt “what the prime minister may or may not announce over the coming days” when asked about the possibility of further sanctions against Russia.
European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, will join Mr Zelenskiy in Washington.
It follows Mr Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska over the weekend, when the pair discussed a peace plan following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
No agreements were announced, but US envoy Steve Witkoff said Russia had agreed to some concessions and “game-changing” security guarantees.
Mr Zelenskiy has called for a security guarantee, similar to the NATO pact which includes a mutual defence article stating that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Ukraine isn’t a NATO member but wants to join the alliance, something Russia opposes.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Trump posted on social media that Ukraine wouldn’t be accepted into NATO and wouldn’t get back Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukraine has rejected ceding any territory to Russia under a ceasefire or peace deal.
Mr Witkoff said Mr Putin had agreed to allow the US and European nations to offer Ukraine a security guarantee during his meeting with Mr Trump, but Russia still believes NATO membership is “a red flag”.
“We were able to win the following concession, that the United States could offer article five-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,” he told CNN.
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