Ukraine invites Australia to join demining coalition
That’s according to the press service of the Ministry of Defense, Ukrinform reports.
“Deputy Defense Ministers of Ukraine Oleksandr Balanutsa and Dmytro Klimenkov met with the leader of the opposition in the Australian Senate, Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham. The parties discussed Ukraine's defense needs and prospects for expanding bilateral defense cooperation,” the statement said.
As noted, the Deputy Minister expressed gratitude for the support of Ukraine and extended an invitation to Australia to join the demining coalition to assist the Defense Forces in their mine clearance efforts. He also called on the Australian government and Australian defense companies to invest in the Ukrainian defense industry.
“We are convinced that Australia can make a significant contribution to Ukraine's victory over Russian aggression, particularly in the areas of defense, economy, training and exchange of experience,” Balanutsa said. He highlighted the proposal to the Australian government to sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine.
The meeting participants also focused on the supply of weapons and equipment. According to the Defense Ministry, as of the end of August 2024, total assistance from Australia amounted to A$1.3 billion, of which A$1.1 billion was allocated for military support.
“Ukraine is sincerely grateful to Australia for its unwavering political, humanitarian and military support. Australia remains the largest military contributor to Ukraine outside of NATO, which shows its determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with us in the fight for freedom and democracy,” Klimenkov added. According to him, Ukraine is willing to consider various options for cooperation to ensure the speedy introduction of new technologies and solutions that will strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
As reported by Ukrinform, the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations (AFUO) calls on the Australian government to consider donating “decommissioned” M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
Photo: Ukrainian Defense Ministry
