After assembly together with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba for the second time in two days, Wong described Putin’s newest threats as “unthinkable and irresponsible”.
“In relation to additional help… we’re involved with our Ukrainian colleagues, we perceive the terribly troublesome circumstances they face… and we are going to proceed to contemplate the requests which have been made,” she mentioned.
Australia will “proceed to do what we will to assist these courageous women and men who’re preventing for his or her freedom”, she mentioned.
Overseas Minister Penny Wong has met with Ukrainian Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the United Nations Common Meeting. Credit score:Alex Ellinghuasen
Federal cupboard will meet in Canberra subsequent week and the difficulty of further assist for Ukraine is anticipated to be mentioned.
Opposition overseas affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham referred to as for the federal government to reply “swiftly, positively and generously” to Ukraine’s request for extra army help.
“Australia ought to present what we will and we ought to supply what we will to offer that assist for Ukraine,” he mentioned.
“There’s by no means a time to surrender on the assist for worldwide guidelines and norms, on the assist for territorial sovereignty and the liberty of individuals.”
In a nationwide tv broadcast in Moscow on Wednesday, Putin introduced he would draft as much as 300,000 reservists to assist its army marketing campaign in Ukraine following latest main setbacks on the battlefield.
Hinting that he was prepared to make use of nuclear weapons to defend what he views as Russian territory, Putin additionally voiced his assist for staged referendums being deliberate as a precursor to the annexation of occupied areas of Ukraine.
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Becoming a member of condemnation by world leaders akin to US president Joe Biden, new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and French president Emmanuel Macron, Wong mentioned: “His claims of defending Russia’s territorial integrity are unfaithful, and no sham referendum will make them true.
“Russia alone is accountable for the unlawful and immoral battle, and peace should first lie with Russia withdrawing from Ukrainian territory.”
Wong’s rebuke got here moments after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Common Meeting through video hyperlink, telling world leaders that Russia deserves “simply punishment” for the crimes towards his nation.
“We should lastly recognise Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism,” he mentioned.
