Ukraine to Australia: Don’t succumb to war fatigue

“That would be symbolically powerful.”

While the war is unfolding far away, Myroshnychenko said: “What’s happening in Ukraine will have a massive impact on the Indo-Pacific.

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

After weeks of mounting pressure, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Monday that her nation would not stand in the way if nations such as Poland want to send German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Germany has so far not agreed to send any of its own Leopard tanks to the battlefield because of 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 their tanks to Ukraine.

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

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

Myroshnychenko also wrote to Foreign Minister Penny Wong this month to ask Australia to participate in a planned Ukrainian-led peace formula summit next month, designed to establish a framework for a negotiated end to the war.

Russia has said it will not participate, but France and Japan have agreed to lead two of ten planned working group sessions.

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