Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his government is open to Australia playing a peacekeeping role in Ukraine amid a push in Europe to send troops in the event of a peace deal with Russia.
Albanese's remarks come after United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that European leaders would draft a proposal to take to the United States, in the wake of flared tensions between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Starmer wants the US to back the plan, but for any agreement from Trump, it is crucial that European nations increase defence spending and signal their willingness to take part in a peacekeeping role — something the UK prime minister acknowledged as difficult to achieve unanimity on.
Starmer has said "a number of countries" had signalled they wanted to be part of the plan although he did not name them, saying he would "leave them to make their own statements" on how they would contribute.
While reiterating Australia's support for Ukraine on Tuesday, Albanese acknowledged the discussion around "potential peacekeeping" and said his government was "open to consideration of any proposals going forward".
"Australia has historically played an important role in areas including in Africa, in Cyprus, in a range of peacekeeping areas," he told reporters.
"We want to see peace in Ukraine, but we want to make sure the illegal, immoral actions of Russia are not rewarded, and that Vladimir Putin and his designs, which are imperialistic, are not rewarded or encouraged."
'Europeans have that task'
Opposition leader Peter Dutton later said Australia should continue to back Ukraine, but his response to a potential peacekeeping role was more muted.
"We have been involved in training and providing support to Ukraine soldiers and I think that should continue," Dutton told reporters. "In terms of if we should have boots on the ground, in Ukraine, I don't see that."
Dutton said "Europeans have that task" and said Trump's remark that European nations needed to ramp up their defence efforts was "a statement of the obvious".
"The US has a focus on other theatres and other areas of engagement, and that is appropriate," Dutton said. "And I think the fact that NATO countries are spending more, or are committing to spending more in their defence budget, is a good thing."
Outgoing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has also left the door open to his country sending peacekeepers, saying: "Everything's on the table. We know that the Canadian military has ways that it can contribute."
But such a decision would be left to a future government, with Trudeau set to step down as leader this month.
