Australia’s support for Ukraine will surpass $1.5 billion as it offers more aid and reveals an embassy will reopen in the war-torn country for the first time since 2022.
Ambassador to Ukraine Paul Lehmann and the deputy head of mission will return to Kyiv in January, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said from the nation’s capital on Thursday.
Senator Wong visited Australia’s embassy in Kyiv, which was closed by the former Morrison government in 2022 at the outbreak of war against Russia.
“The Albanese government has always said we would reopen our embassy in Kyiv when it is safe to do so,” she said.
A cross-party parliamentary inquiry in November said there was a “strong case” for a return of a physical diplomatic presence, pointing to 70 other nations that have reopened their embassies.
Senator Wong met Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, her counterpart Andrii Sybiha and Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Australia will provide $66 million to the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development to help Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Another $10 million will go to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, to provide heat and electricity for civilians.
This takes Australia’s support of Ukraine to more than $1.5 billion in aid since Russia’s invasion almost three years ago in February.
Senator Wong said what happens to Ukraine matters to Australia.
“Ukraine’s fight against Russia has consequences for our national security and the security of the Indo-Pacific,” she said.
“Today and every day, Australia stands with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.”
The foreign minister also met people at community organisation Save Ukraine – which supports vulnerable families and children – where she announced $80,000 in funding.
The parliamentary inquiry also found Defence and the foreign affairs department should set up a “one-stop-shop” to streamline Australia’s support of Ukraine.
Labor was strongly criticised after the scrapped MRH-90 Taipan helicopters were dismantled and buried, rather than donated to Ukraine for its war effort.
