Anthony Albanese has reiterated Australia’s support for Ukraine after a fiery meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But even as Sydney’s Ukrainian community rallied in protest, the prime minister declined to comment directly on how the confrontation might affect Australia’s relationship with the US.
US military support for Ukraine hangs in the balance and talks over a minerals deal deteriorated after a disastrous interchange at the White House that also included the US vice-president, JD Vance. The US president claimed his Ukraine counterpart was not “ready for peace” and accused him of “gambling with world war three”, before Zelenskyy left the White House early.
Asked about Australia’s support for Ukraine at a press conference on Saturday morning, Albanese said: “We will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Because this is the struggle of a democratic nation versus an authoritarian regime led by Vladimir Putin, who clearly has imperialistic designs not just on Ukraine but throughout that region.”
Pressed specifically about the “extraordinary” exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy, Albanese avoided discussing Trump directly, saying: “I am responsible for Australia’s foreign policy. Australia’s foreign policy is determined by Australia.”
Asked if the US president’s behaviour “changes the game for any other world leaders interacting with him”, Albanese responded by reiterating his support for the Ukraniain community, adding: “Russia has acted like a bully, a big country seeking to invade and to take over territory from another sovereign nation.”
Leaders from across Europe have expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian leader after the US summit – highlighting an emerging rift with the US, though not generally naming the US president.
“Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas declared in a social media post. Others, such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, expressed their support for Trump.
Albanese condemned Russia’s “illegal and immoral invasion”, highlighting that Australia had committed “some $1.5bn to help Ukraine defend itself”, including more than $1.3bn in military support.
The office of the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, declined to add further comment following Albanese’s remarks on Saturday.
Angus Taylor, the shadow treasurer, echoed Albanese’s comments at a press conference on Saturday afternoon: “We’re fully supportive of … Ukraine at this time.”
“The starting point is that this was an illegal invasion of Ukraine, and that Russia was in the wrong,” he said. “We will not veer from that position.”
Taylor’s comments came as Sydneysiders gathered to rally in support of Ukraine. Organiser Anton Bogdanovych said the rally’s purpose was to appeal to the Australian public “for help and support”.
“What we have seen is an act of bullying on the international stage where a president of a smaller country was bullied by Donald Trump and his team. In the current circumstances, it’s not unlikely for any smaller country to be treated this way.”
“I believe the future of the free world is in Ukraine,” Bogdanovych said.
