$110 million aid from Australia and New Zealand to support Ukraine
The commitme of $95 million by Australia and $15 million by New Zealand to Ukraine made Australia and New Zealand the first non-NATO couries to provide financial assistance for the purchase of critical military equipme for Ukraine.
According to Isna, Australia’s military financial support includes a $50 million coribution to Ukraine’s list of priority requiremes, which will simplify the purchase of defense equipme from the United States.
The Australian Defense Force will also donate $43 million worth of equipme and weapons, including tactical air defense radars, ammunition and combat engineering equipme. An additional $2 million will be provided to help Ukraine with advanced drone technologies, which Matthew Sussex, a Russia expert at the Australian National University’s Ceer for European Studies, described as a “strong package” overall.
Professor Sussex told Australia’s Associated Press: “This is a good sign that the governme is committed to more than rhetoric on European security issues … and to help those who are caught trying to disrupt the rule of law.”
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said Canberra was unwavering in its support for Ukraine. “These commitmes will make a tangible difference in defending Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and immoral aggression,” he said.
He did not rule out the possibility of Australian troops helping to facilitate a transition of power in the eve of a ceasefire, saying a peace deal would need to be reached before determining how. Australia’s defense minister told ABC News: “We have made it clear that we will be part of a coalition of volueer nations and in whatever way our support is needed … we will be there.”
Meanwhile, the New Zealand governme is providing $15 million to the US-NATO initiative to provide arms and equipme to Ukraine, specifically for a prioritized list of Ukrainian requiremes.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins announced this decision and called it a significa coribution to support the defense of Ukraine.
“The defense of Ukraine has significa implications not only for the security of Europe, but also for the Indo-Pacific,” Peters said.
The money will only be used for weapons and equipme that comply with New Zealand’s iernational obligations and domestic policies, a written stateme said.
Collins said New Zealand stands in solidarity with Ukraine. “The challenge for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend its cities and people in the face of coinuous and incessa bombing of Ukraine by Russian drones remains enormous,” he said.
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