Senator Wong and Ukraine Foreign Minister Sybiha Andrii meet in Kyiv on Wednesday (18 December). Photo: Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko LinkedIn.
The Australian embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv will reopen in January after being closed for nearly three years.
The announcement was made by Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong during a visit to Kyiv on Wednesday (18 December).
The embassy was closed shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the ambassador and consulate staff moved to neighbouring Poland. While most countries have retained a consulate presence in Ukraine, Australia has been subject to some criticism for not returning.
Senator Wong visited the embassy during her visit and inspected the progress of work to enable the full return of Australia’s diplomatic presence.
“The government has always said we would reopen our embassy in Kyiv when it is safe to do so,” she said.
“I was pleased to announce we are reopening the embassy. From next month, Australia’s ambassador [Paul Lehmann] as well as our deputy head of mission will return to Kyiv.”
The move comes after Senator Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles visited the UK for the annual AUKMIN ministerial talks, as well as meetings with a wider group of foreign ministers.
There, Australia co-signed a joint communique from 11 nations condemning the entry of North Korean troops into the war on the Russian side, with reports that they have been involved in battles in the Russian region of Kursk in recent weeks.
“We, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the high representative of the European Union condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Russian Federation, including the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia for use on the battlefield against Ukraine,” it reads.
“In a continued show of support and unity, we recall and reinforce our May 2024 coordinated sanctions action and joint statement on DPRK-Russia cooperation.
“Direct DPRK support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine marks a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security,” it adds.
“The DPRK’s export of ballistic missiles, artillery shells, and other military materiel to Russia for use against Ukraine and Russia’s training of DPRK soldiers involving arms or related materiel represent flagrant violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), and 2270 (2016).
“Together, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to support Ukraine as it defends its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Senator Penny Wong, and Australia’s Ambassador to Ukraine Paul Lehmann inspect work being done on the Australian embassy in Kyiv. Photo: Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko LinkedIn.
In her meetings with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Foreign Minister Sybiha Andrii, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and Deputy Energy Minister Roman Andarak, Senator Wong said Australia would provide $66 million to the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, to assist with Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts, and $10 million in assistance to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.
Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure has been increasingly targeted by Russian air and missile strikes, resulting in power blackouts and depleted gas reserves.
“Australia has unequivocally condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and provided more than $1.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine since the full-scale conflict began in February 2022,” Senator Wong said.
“What happens to Ukraine matters to Australians. Ukraine’s fight against Russia has consequences for our national security and the security of the Indo-Pacific.”
The Ukrainian ambassador to Australia and New Zealand Vasyl Myroshnychenko said he was deeply grateful to Senator Wong for her visit.
“Following the visit of [the Deputy Prime Minister] Richard Marles earlier this year, it is a clear demonstration of Australia’s strong support of Ukraine,” he said.
“As [the] minister has rightly pointed out, the security in Europe is closely connected to the security of the Indo-Pacific.
“Also, I am delighted that [Ambassador] Paul Lehmann will move to Kyiv soon to become a resident Ambassador to Ukraine,” he added.
“Ukrainians will never forget Australia’s support.”
