Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia will send Bushmaster armoured military vehicles to Ukraine in a response to a plea from the nation’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Mr Zelenskyy beamed in to on Thursday, recounting the destruction and human cost of Russia’s invasion of his country.
He also said Ukraine was in desperate need of further military aid, calling for the Australian-built troop carriers to be sent to support .
"You have very good armoured vehicles, Bushmasters, that could help Ukraine substantially," Mr Zelenskyy told the parliament.
"If you have an opportunity to share these with us, we would be very grateful."
Mr Morrison on Friday said the request for the military vehicles would be answered by the Australian government.
"We are going to be sending our armoured vehicles, our Bushmasters," he said.
"We’ll be flying them over there on our C17s [military transport aircraft] to make sure they can be there to support — so I thank President Zelenskyy for coming and addressing our parliament."
The Bushmasters are four-wheel-drive vehicles designed to transport 10 troops as well as weapons and equipment known for their durability.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton earlier said Australia was open to sending the military vehicles, but also pointed to logistical challenges.
"The number they need obviously takes longer than what will be ideal. We have identified Bushmasters that we can send and we are going through the logistics of that now," he told Sky News.
"We might only be able to upload three or four Bushmasters onto a C17 at once. The other option is we can try and source something out of Germany or France or somewhere else in Europe."
The defence minister noted timelines did not allow for the usual process of sending the vehicles by ship.
The federal government also announced a further $25 million in defensive military equipment for the besieged nation ahead of Mr Zelenskyy's address.
The package includes tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
The investment brings Australia’s total military assistance so far to $116 million.
On top of this support, the federal government has also provided $65 million in humanitarian assistance, as well as 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to meet Ukraine’s energy needs.
It’s also announced three-year temporary protection visas and support for Ukrainian community groups in Australia.
Over the past month, Mr Zelenskyy has addressed the parliaments of the US, UK, and EU, appealing for more missile and weapons support. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS/AAPIMAGE
Mr Zelenskyy also warned Australia that Russia’s aggression posed a direct threat to Australia and the fate of global security.
"Whatever is happening in our region because of the Russian aggression is destroying the lives of people has become a real threat to your country and your people," he said.
"The nature of the evil is it can instantly cross any distance [and] destroy lives.
"When the enemy comes - when children are killed, when cities are destroyed, when refugees are shot when Ukraine is turned into the burnt-out territory, then any distances disappear."
