Australia's Ukrainian community is calling for more international action against Russian aggression, including supplying the government in Kiev with weapons, amid escalating bloodshed in east Ukraine.
As pro-Russian separatists vow to mobilise up to 100,000 fighters for a new offensive, pressure is mounting on NATO allies to intervene in the conflict that has raged for nine months and killed at least 5100 people.
Fighting has surged in recent weeks after separatists tore up a tenuous ceasefire deal and pushed into government-held territory.
The chairman of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, Stefan Romaniw, says diplomacy and economic sanctions won't halt the separatists.
Mr Romaniw, who will travel to Ukraine on Friday, is also general-secretary of the Ukrainian World Congress that represents 20 million of the Ukrainian diaspora.
"Diplomacy has finished," Mr Romaniw told AAP.
"It's now time to supply Ukraine with arms and allow Ukraine to remain sovereign."
"If you don't stop this now - and we said this from the outset: Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk - what's next?"
While Western allies have so far largely provided only non-lethal assistance, such as flak jackets, medical supplies and radios, the Obama administration is seriously considering sending arms and defensive weaponry.
US Secretary of State John Kerry was set arrive in Ukraine on Thursday.
The visit comes after the NATO command earlier this week said it now supported defensive weapons being supplied to Ukraine.
In Sydney on Monday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said both countries remained committed to enforcing sanctions against Russia and providing non-lethal equipment and resources.
The comments followed high-level talks at Admiralty House where Russia's aggression in Ukraine was a key feature.
But British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, who attended the same talks, indicated the UK could also move to do more than providing non-lethal assistance.
"We are not currently supplying lethal equipment that would intensify the conflict. Obviously we keep this under review," Mr Fallon said.
Mr Romaniw praised the Australian government for having been "very strong" in opposing Russian aggression, particularly after the downing of flight MH17 that killed 298 people, including 27 Australians.
"In fact, Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop have been leaders internationally in confronting Putin," he said.
However, along with many of the 38,000 Australians of Ukrainian origin, he has grave fears for loved ones in Ukraine.
"When you talk about terrorism, what's happened in Donetsk is terrorism. It's no different to what happened in Paris, to what happened in Sydney," he said.
At least four Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 25 wounded in the past 24 hours, reports said on Thursday.
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