Ukraine Seeks Australia’s Assistance in Coal Amidst Winter Crisis
The Coalition urgently called on the government to provide energy help back in January. But the government is defending its military assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine is pleading for Australia to supply coal to help avoid blackouts and prepare for heating amid the upcoming winter.
The ambassador of Ukraine to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, raised concerns that winter could kill more people than Russian missiles.
Defence Minister Richard Marles has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Ukraine without mentioning coal, noting Australia has provided more than $1 billion (US$667 million) in support overall, including $880 million of military assistance.
Meanwhile, Coalition Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham described the request from Ukraine as urgent, having made a plea to the government to provide support back in January.
Mr. Myroshnychenko, speaking on ABC television, noted providing coal is a survival issue.
“Ukraine needs an all-year-round supply of thermal coal, and for us, it’s not a choice, it’s rather a lifeline … While Russians are killing us on a daily basis, winter is going to kill more people and winter is coming,” he said.
“It’s also a matter of producing electricity which is necessary for the defence industry to make sure that we can keep on going, that our economy can keep on operating, so it’s a matter of survival for us.”
Marles Defends Australia’s Support for Ukraine
In response to questions about whether Australia is providing coal, Mr. Marles said Australia is in constant contact with Ukraine about providing support in the most “practical way.” He did not mention coal specifically.
