Australia is providing additional military support to Ukraine in the form of howitzers and ammunition, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Peter Dutton said in a statement on Wednesday.
The fresh military assistance package worth 26.7 million Australian dollars (19.1 million U.S. dollars) will see Ukraine provided with six M777 lightweight towed howitzers along with ammunition.
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That makes Australia’s total military assistance contribution to Ukraine 225 million dollars so far, with a further 65 million dollars provided in humanitarian aid along with more than 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal.
Morrison and Dutton said the equipment offers further support to combat Russia’s “brutal, unrelenting and illegal invasion” of neighbouring Ukraine.
“The Australian government will continue to identify opportunities for further military assistance where it is able to provide a required capability to the Ukraine Armed Forces expeditiously.
“Australia stands with the people of Ukraine and again calls on Russia to cease its unprovoked, unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine,” the prime minister added.
Australia was one of 40 nations in attendance at a meeting on the Ukraine conflict at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Tuesday.
