Australian embassy in Kyiv to reopen

London: Australia will reopen its embassy in war-torn Kyiv next month almost three years since its diplomats fled to neighbouring Poland in the days ahead of Russia’s brutal invasion.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, on her first visit to Ukraine since Putin’s troops rolled across the border in February 2022, confirmed Australia’s ambassador would return full-time in January, as the country faces growing pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump for the war to end.

Russian forces have rushed to gain an advantage on the battlefield, increasing attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure ahead of Trump entering the White House in January, and heightening alarm in Ukraine that it will be forced to make territorial concessions in exchange for peace.

Trump has been highly critical of billions of dollars of aid that President Joe Biden’s administration has provided to Kyiv to battle Moscow’s invasion.

Wong, the first member of the federal government to visit the capital since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in July 2022, also pledged $66 million to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to assist with Ukraine’s vital recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Another $10 million would also be given in assistance to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund to provide heat and electricity for Ukrainians, she said.

Wong said her visit came as a pivotal moment in the war almost three years since Russia, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, decided to invade.

“It matters to Australia because of the principle, which is international law protects us all,” she said. “It also matters to Australia and all in our region, because the security in this part of the world, in Europe, affects also our security in the Indo-Pacific. We saw that in the way in which we now see North Korean fighters fighting for Russia.”