‘My friend’: Emotional Albanese hugs Zelensky as historic Ukraine deal sealed

New York: Australia has inked a historic pact with Ukraine that commits Canberra to sustained defence and security cooperation with Kyiv while stopping short of a NATO-style guarantee to come to each other’s defence.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (US time), with the government announcing a further $60 million in support.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese embraces Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an emotional meeting in New York.Dominic LorrimerThe signing was marked by an emotional display from Albanese, who became visibly moved as he paid tribute to Zelensky’s leadership during more than four years of war.

The two leaders hugged when they met, with Zelensky – dressed in a formal black military uniform – thanking Australia for its support since the beginning of Russia’s invasion. Albanese said the agreement demonstrated that Australia’s support for Ukraine extended beyond financial and military assistance.

After the agreement was signed, Albanese appeared close to tears as he described the Ukrainian president as his “friend”. The pair have met several times since Albanese travelled to Kyiv within weeks of winning office in May 2022.

“I do want to just pay tribute to my friend here, and his leadership has been, I think, quite extraordinary,” Albanese said.

“Leading people in circumstances which are extraordinarily difficult, and which have been underestimated as well. I think Russia thought it could just steamroll through in a matter of weeks, and what we have found is that the people of Ukraine were underestimated, and their commitment.”

The package includes $45 million in Australian Defence Force equipment, $10 million for Ukraine’s energy sector and $5 million in humanitarian assistance, taking Australia’s total support since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 to almost $1.9 billion.

Australia has backed Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, imposing sanctions and providing defence, economic, energy and humanitarian assistance.

The 10-year agreement provides a framework for Australia and Ukraine to deepen military, intelligence, cyber and defence-industry cooperation, while also covering energy assistance, humanitarian support, reconstruction and efforts to counter Russian information operations.

Australia will continue providing military assistance and training and will explore opportunities for joint production of drones, missiles, air-defence systems and other defence technologies, including potential projects in Ukraine.

For Canberra, the arrangement also offers access to lessons from a Ukrainian military that has spent years fighting a much larger adversary.

Zelensky thanked Albanese for Australia’s ongoing support. He said the Australian people had “always been on the side of Ukraine”.

“You ... geopolitically, always stood with us,” he said. “And today, we signed, I think, the strongest document between our countries, the strategic document, security agreement, and where we will have really will increase our cooperation and trade, and of course security, which is very important.

“It’s not about the time of the war. It’s all about [a] long-term agreement. It’s all for our people for their security.”

The 10-year deal provides a framework for Australia and Ukraine to deepen military, intelligence, cyber and defence-industry cooperation, while also covering energy assistance, humanitarian support and reconstruction.Dominic LorrimerThe government said Ukraine’s battlefield experience and defence industry would provide “valuable lessons”, while Australia’s entry into the UK and Norway-led Maritime Capability Coalition for Ukraine will give the ADF greater insight into advanced maritime capabilities and their operational use.

One of the most significant provisions includes what would happen if fighting formally ends and Russia attacks Ukraine again.

Under the agreement, either Australia or Ukraine can request consultations if Russia, or a Russian proxy, launches a new armed attack. The two governments would then be required to consult within 24 hours about measures or support that could help counter the attack.

The text, released after the meeting, did not commit Australia to automatically send troops or go to war in response to a future Russian attack, instead leaving any eventual response to be determined. It also makes clear that Australia’s commitments remain subject to domestic law, international obligations and its capacity.

The arrangement follows a broader model of bilateral security agreements developed by Ukraine and its international partners, designed to provide longer-term commitments even as the eventual shape of the war and any peace settlement remains uncertain.

The agreement also explicitly connects European and Indo-Pacific security, reflecting the Australian government’s broader argument that Russia’s invasion has implications for international security well beyond Europe.

The government also announced another round of sanctions against Russia, taking the total number imposed by Australia on Russia and its supporters to almost 1900 and the number of listed shadow-fleet vessels to almost 300.

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