Albanese promises Zelensky a new $ 100 million aid package during the Kyiv meeting

Tariffs on all Ukrainian imports to Australia will also be removed, while the government will support the case of the International Court of Justice of Ukraine against Russia.

Albanese said he would impose even more financial sanctions and travel bans on 16 additional Russian ministers and oligarchs, and ban imports of Russian gold to reduce Russia’s ability to finance its war by joining partners such as Canada. Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. .

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday in Kyiv (Ukrainian time). Credit: AP

Albanese said the “brutal” invasion of Ukraine by Russia was not provoked and went against international law and the UN charter.

He said he had seen first hand on his tour of Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel that residential buildings and houses had been the subject of a brutal assault.

“Clearly, Russian forces have attacked civilian areas as part of this illegal and amoral war,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese examines apartment buildings and vehicles damaged by Russian bombing in Irpin. Credit: AP

Albanese said Australia would help help bring Ukraine’s grain “into the world,” and declared the Russian-led blockade of its ports another attack on the “human rights of the world” and those historically fed on Ukrainian grain.

Zelensky said his county was grateful for Albanese’s visit, but regretted that the occasion had not occurred in peacetime.

He said the key topics in the discussions were security cooperation between Ukraine and Australia and the protection of freedom.

“I am grateful to Australia for its firm and inflexible position on this issue,” he said.

“We must strengthen international cooperation to break Russia’s aggressive potential. We have to increase the sanctioning pressure on the aggressor ”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits Irpin, devastated by the war. Credit: AP

Zelensky said Russia had created global threats that will be felt in all regions of the world, and stressed the importance of the Ukraine Recovery Conference starting Monday in Lugano, southern Switzerland.

“The amount of work in the already liberated territories is really colossal,” Zelensky said.

“More than 2000 settlements in eastern and southern Ukraine have not yet been liberated. I offered to Australia to participate in post-war reconstruction and I am grateful for the willingness to join in the implementation of this project, I’m sure, ambitious. “

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