Ukraine, explained.
Smoke rises from a warehouse following an air attack in the Kyiv region on 27 August 2026 (Vladyslav Musiienko/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine’s ambassador argues the Foreign Minister’s own framework is a case for backing Kyiv further.
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Wong’s own logic makes the case for more Ukraine aidWong’s own logic makes the case for more Ukraine aid
Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s Allan Gyngell Lecture (Opens in new window) to the Lowy Institute achieved many things. Among them was the establishment of a clear framework for Australia’s continued support for Ukraine – support for which my government is deeply thankful.
Wong organised the Australian government’s foreign policy approach around four key pillars. Each is directly relevant to Australia’s relationship with Ukraine and provides a compelling basis for strengthening the partnership between our two countries.
First, Wong indicated that Australia’s foremost strategic priority must be the Indo-Pacific because this is the region where Australia has the most to gain or lose. While Russia’s invasion is taking place geographically in Europe, it is also an Indo-Pacific security issue.
Russia’s status as a Pacific nation is often overlooked in discussions of the “Indo-Pacific” – but Russia is part of the region’s security architecture.
Russia is a member of APEC, it is one of the eight non-ASEAN “Plus” countries in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, alongside Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States. It is a member of the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Wong is right in saying Australia has much to lose in the Indo-Pacific, and this will be starkly true if Russia, a nuclear weapons-armed permanent member of the UN Security Council, succeeds in the violation of one of the founding principles of the UN Charter: that sovereign borders cannot be changed by territorial wars of aggression.
These implications have become even more pronounced with North Korea’s growing involvement in the war through the deployment of troops and the supply of weapons to Russia. The conflict is increasingly bringing together authoritarian governments from Europe and the Indo-Pacific, demonstrating that security in these two regions cannot be neatly separated.
Encouragingly, Australia already recognises this reality. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles noted (Opens in new window) as recently as June:
“What happens in Ukraine matters here in the Indo-Pacific, which is why it is so important for Australia to stay the course and continue to stand with Ukraine until they find peace on their terms.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong delivers the 2026 Allan Gyngell Lecture (Sahlan Hayes/Lowy Institute)
Second, Wong discussed the importance of Australia avoiding exclusive reliance on Washington and strengthening partnerships through international institutions and direct relationships with countries such as the European states. Australia can advance this objective by increasing its involvement in the multinational coalition supporting Ukraine. Ukraine provides a common cause around which many of Australia’s closest partners can unite.
One vehicle for such cooperation is the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL (Opens in new window). Established in August 2025, PURL is a NATO-coordinated mechanism for supplying Ukraine with urgently needed US-made military equipment and ammunition, including critical air-defence systems. Australia has so far contributed (Opens in new window) $150 million through this mechanism.
This contribution is welcomed and appreciated. However, Australia’s commitment represents only about 1% of PURL’s total value. We therefore continue to request additional assistance from the Australian government. As Vladimir Putin intensifies his unprovoked attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilian targets, there is an especially strong case for increasing defensive military aid. Air-defence systems save civilian lives, protect essential infrastructure and help ensure that Ukrainians can continue to work, study and care for their families.
Third, Wong argued that, although the multilateral system is weakening, international law, predictable trade and the United Nations Charter remain especially important for middle powers. Countries such as Australia benefit from a world in which agreed rules restrain the behaviour of more powerful states.
A Ukrainian victory would reinforce the principle that aggression carries consequences; abandoning Ukraine would communicate the opposite.
Wong specifically connected this principle to Australia’s support for Ukraine. In resisting Russian aggression, Ukraine is defending not only its own people and territory but also the international rules-based order. At stake is the fundamental principle that every country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.
Supporting Ukraine is not an act of charity or a distraction from Australia’s interests but an investment in the type of international system upon which Australia’s own security and prosperity depend. A Ukrainian victory would reinforce the principle that aggression carries consequences; abandoning Ukraine would communicate the opposite.
Fourth, Wong discussed national resilience and the need for Australia to protect itself against economic coercion, weaponised supply chains, disinformation, foreign interference and the disruptive effects of artificial intelligence. In this area, Ukraine stands ready to assist Australia.
The demands of the war have transformed Ukraine into a global leader in defence innovation, particularly in drone and related technologies. Ukraine is now manufacturing more than 10 million drones annually and has developed extraordinary expertise in rapidly designing, testing and deploying new systems under battlefield conditions.
Ukraine’s experience is also highly relevant to countering disinformation, protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening society against foreign interference. These are areas in which Ukrainian knowledge can contribute directly to Australia’s resilience. We are hopeful that early discussions between Australian participants and Ukrainian defence-technology providers will produce practical partnerships, including joint research, investment and manufacturing.
Australia has already made a valuable contribution. The task now is to build on it. By increasing its assistance and developing a deeper strategic partnership with Ukraine, Australia can help defend both Ukrainian freedom and the international principles that protect middle powers everywhere.
About the author
Vasyl Myroshnychenko
Vasyl Myroshnychenko is Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia.
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