Why support Ukraine?
“If not now, when?”
-Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia.
Recently, a lot of people have been asking me why I would travel to the frontlines of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Image credit: @ctrs.mou
Right now, there is a war on in Ukraine, civilian buildings are being flattened every day. According to the OHCHR, in the weeks surrounding my visit to Ukraine, 144 civilians died with 441 being injured. Of the injured, 24 were children and of the deceased one was a girl.
Knowing this was happening all around me was a very unsettling experience. Walking through the streets of Kyiv there is a stillness that can make you forget that you’re walking through a nation under siege. Until you pass the burned wreck of a Russian tank, and you are firmly reminded.
Most of these civilian casualties were caused by shelling from heavy artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, missiles and air strikes. These are of course only the figures of individual cases verified by the OHCHR. They believe the actual figures to be considerably higher as the reports from some locations have been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration.
Despite these grave figures, I doubt you have seen much of it on the news. Unlike the beginning of the invasion, when Ukraine had the eyes of the world, nowadays the war rarely gets a mention. During my time in Ukraine when buildings were falling around me what was on our Melbourne newspapers. The Birmingham Games. Of course, this is not to discredit the perseverance and outstanding achievements of our Australian athletes.
Fortunately, my visit to Ukraine has been on 7 News, the ABC and across the Ukrainian news. Although I am limited in my ability to make the front pages from opposition – it is important as an Australian parliamentarian to do everything I can to bring the Ukrainian war back into the public focus.
When the public saw the struggle of the Ukrainian people in early 2022, it resulted in direct military aid. In the words of the former Prime Minister
“We're not just sending our prayers, we're sending our weapons, we're sending our ammunition, we're sending our humanitarian aid, we're sending all that and body armour.” By bringing Ukraine back into the public consciousness, we make a stronger case to the Government that more aid is needed.
It is crucial that when democracies are under attack, we come to their aid. Whenever a country of democratic principles falls within the grip of a tyrant – democracies must act. If we do not take decisive action, what message does that send? I am reminded of a quote from Tony Blair during the invasion of Iraq.
“If this house now demands that at this moment, faced with this threat from this regime, that we turn away at the point of reckoning, what then? What will Saddam feel?”
“Strengthened beyond measure.”
If we do not stand with Ukraine against the authoritarianism of Putin’s Russia not only will his vice on Eastern Europe be strengthened but we embolden the dictatorships closer to home. What will China feel if we abandon Ukraine, what will Taiwan?
As I write this the Chinese Communist Party is testing the waters around Taiwan. With tensions getting warmer every day, they are signalling one question to the west. If we invade a sovereign democracy – will you come to their aid or not? Ukraine has allowed us an opportunity to answer – we will.
My visit to Ukraine is a signal that Australia stands with Ukraine against authoritarian dictatorships wherever they find themselves. Whether they threaten Ukraine’s democracy or our own.
To abandon the Ukrainian people in their time of need because they are not on the front pages of our papers is not only a disservice to our principles, but to our national security.
Image credit: Channel 24. Valentina Polishchuk
Slava Ukraini.
