Australia will provide a further $70 million in support to Ukraine following the Russian invasion, including missiles and ammunition.
The decision to send lethal aid was made following a meeting on Tuesday morning of federal cabinet’s national security committee
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the majority of the support would go towards lethal aid to Ukrainian forces through a partnership with NATO.
A further $35 million will be provided to international organisations as part of humanitarian relief efforts to provide people with shelter, food and medical care.
Mr Morrison said he would not provide specifics of the lethal military aid that would be provided, due to national security concerns.
“I don’t plan to give the Russian government a heads up about what is coming their way, but I can assure them it is coming your way,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“We will be answering the call from (Ukrainian) President Zelenskyy. He said, ‘Don’t give me a ride, give me ammunition’, and that is exactly what the Australian government has agreed to do.”
The $70 million in lethal and non-lethal military aid was the “opening contribution” from Australia to the Ukrainian conflict.
Mr Morrison said it was expected there would be further requests made over time.
The prime minister has welcomed efforts from other countries to impose sanctions on Russia and its government following the Ukrainian invasion.
Mr Morrison said while the sanctions were working and having a serious impact on Russian progress, it was likely to lead to more aggression.
“It is also likely to lead to an even more violent response from Russia,” he said.
“Anyone who thinks the Russian government is just going to sit there, I think, doesn’t understand the intent and the outrageous objective of President Putin.”
The government is also receiving about 100 visa applications from Ukrainian citizens each day, which are being prioritised.
The Sydney Opera House will be lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag on Tuesday night.
It follows Parliament House in Canberra being lit up in the colours of the flag on Monday night in solidarity with Ukraine.
The prime minister repeated warnings for Australians not to travel to Ukraine, particularly to fight in the conflict alongside Ukraine forces.
It comes as Ukraine’s president signed a decree temporarily lifting entry visa requirements for foreigners willing to join Ukraine’s defence force and fight against Russian troops.
The decree took effect from Tuesday and will remain in place as long as martial law is in place in Ukraine.
“The legal position of those who may seek to do that is very unclear … anyone seeking to do that would find themselves on the wrong side of some very, very violent attacks,” Mr Morrison said.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese also reiterated calls for Australians not to travel to Ukraine in light of the invasion.
“The travel advice from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is to not travel to Ukraine, we would urge everyone, as we always do, to heed that advice,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.
“Vladimir Putin’s extraordinary comments about nuclear weapons is just completely over the top, this guy just needs to back off and needs to get the message that he is isolated in the world.”
The Labor leader said the opposition strongly supported the sanctions Australia had carried out against Russia, alongside international partners such as the United States, United Kingdom and European Union.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton told reporters in Canberra that Russian forces would become more intense as they move towards the capital of Kyiv.
“Many people will die unless President Putin changes the action of the course he is on at the moment,” he said.
© AAP 2022
