Australia has announced a $123.9 million extension of its "Operation Kudu" assistance package to Ukraine.
Under the agreement, the Canberra government will deploy additional troops to a British-led mission that has been training Ukrainian military recruits in England.
It is almost two years since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Since January 2023, Australian soldiers have helped to train more than 1,200 Ukrainian combat volunteers under a UK-led program.
"Operation Interflex" began in June 2022 and involves military instructors from a dozen nations, including Canada, New Zealand and Norway. No Australian soldiers will enter Ukraine.
The Ukrainian recruits are taught battlefield casualty drills, how to use weapons and about measures to counter surveillance from drones.
From next year, the Australian Defense Force, the ADF, will send additional military training specialists to help the Ukrainian forces. Canberra will deploy around 90 troops on a three-month rotation, up from the current contingent of 70.
Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Thursday that the extra resources will make a difference.
“This is, you know (a) very, kind of, strong human connection which is being created, you between the ADF (Australian Defense Force) and also Ukrainian (troops) and they go there through training, sometimes five, six weeks, before they are sent out to the front lines,” Myroshnychenko said
Thursday, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles will be in Darwin to meet the latest group of soldiers to return from training duties in southern England. Marles told local media that the British-led mission “cements international solidarity for Ukraine.”
Australia is one of the largest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine’s efforts, supplying armored personnel carriers, missiles and artillery ammunition.
Canberra has also imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, military commanders and businesspeople.
They are the most sweeping penalties Australia has ever put on another country.
Australia is also under pressure to reopen its embassy in Kyiv. Other countries, including Indonesia, most members of the European Union and Canada, have sent their diplomats back to the Ukrainian capital.
