Canberra’s relations with Moscow have been tense for years.Australia opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, condemning it as illegal and immoral, and has committed Aus$1.5 billion (US$931 million) to Ukraine’s war effort.Ties had already been damaged by the July 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 by a Russian-made missile over eastern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of 298 people aboard including 38 Australians.
Europe ‘united’ behind Ukraine, Germany says after Zelensky-Trump row
Berlin, Germany
Germany’s foreign minister on Friday said Berlin and Europe were “united” behind Ukraine after an extraordinary row broke out between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.“Germany together with our European allies stands united alongside #Ukraine – and against the Russian aggression,” Annalena Baerbockwrote on X and Bluesky, adding that Kyiv’s “quest for peace & security is ours”.pvy/sbk/giv© Agence France-Presse
Dutch support for Ukraine ‘undiminished’ says PM Schoof
Dutch support for Ukraine remained “undiminished” Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Friday, as European Union leaders rallied behind Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following his heated exchange with US counterpart Donald Trump.
“Dutch support for Ukraine remains undiminished. Especially now,” Schoof said on X, adding “we want lasting peace and an end to the war of aggression that Russia has started.”
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‘Ukraine, Spain stands with you’: PM Sanchez
Madrid, Spainukrainerussiaconflictdiplomacyspain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday said his country would stand by war-torn Ukraine after its leader Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump’s extraordinary Oval Office row.”Ukraine, Spain stands with you,” Sanchez, a staunch backer of Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion who pledged one billion euros of aid in a visit to Kyiv this week, wrote on X.imm/giv© Agence France-Presse
UK’s Starmer says Ukraine truce ‘can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor’
Washington, United States
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Thursday that a deal on Ukraine cannot reward the “aggressor,” as he met US President Donald Trump who has reached out to Russia.”We have to win the peace, and that’s what we must do now, because it can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor or that gives encouragement to regimes like Iran,” Starmer told a joint news conference.pdh-sct/acb© Agence France-Presse