Ukraine wants Bushmasters, artillery before one-year war anniversary

“That would be symbolically strong.”

As the war unfolds far away, Myroshnychenko said: “What happens in Ukraine will have massive repercussions in the Indo-Pacific.

“If Putin is allowed to win in Ukraine, it will open a Pandora’s box for other authoritarian leaders trying to take over neighboring countries by force. If it can happen in Europe, it can happen here.”

After weeks of pressure, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Monday that her country would not stand in the way of nations like Poland wanting to send German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Germany has so far not agreed to send one of its own Leopard tanks onto the battlefield over fears it could escalate the conflict and infuriate Russia.

Ukrainian supporters in Sydney will hold a “Free the Leopards” rally outside the German consulate in Woolloomooloo on Tuesday to urge the German government to send its tanks to Ukraine.

“As many have noted, Germany has a historic responsibility to help secure a free and independent Ukraine,” said Stefan Romaniv, co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations.

“It should also play a central role in defining a European response to aggression so that other authoritarian regimes around the world, including China, are not given the green light.”

Myroshnychenko also wrote to Secretary of State Penny Wong this month to ask Australia to attend a planned Ukrainian-led peace summit next month designed to provide a framework for a negotiated end to the war.

Russia has said it will not attend, but France and Japan have agreed to chair two of 10 scheduled working group meetings.

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