Australia eyes to reopen embassy in Ukraine amid ongoing conflict

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has said that Australia plans to restore its diplomatic mission in Ukraine, which was closed on February 22, 2022.

He stated that the government intends to reopen its embassy in Ukraine, but efforts to ensure the security of diplomatic personnel are still ongoing, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

"We must ensure that we can open the building in a conflict zone and that it will be safe for everyone in the embassy," Marles said.

He also noted that Australian authorities "are working closely with the Ukrainian government and supporting it during the conflict."

"We will continue collaborating with them on the matter of reopening the embassy in Kyiv and will carefully assess all the risks and dangers," the deputy prime minister emphasised. 

Earlier, one of the committees of the Australian Parliament recommended the resumption of the country's embassy operations in Kyiv, after it was relocated to Poland in February 2022. 

Lawmakers advised establishing a military attaché position within the diplomatic mission to coordinate arms and equipment supplies, manage logistics, and create a centre within the embassy to effectively handle military aid. 

In June 2023, Australia's Foreign Ministry stated that it "was not considering the possibility of reopening its diplomatic mission in Ukraine due to security concerns."

By Naila Huseynova