Press Conference - Sydney, NSW
24 February 2022
PRIME MINISTER: At 2:00 p.m this afternoon, the Russian Government declared that they had commenced a so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. And they said this after months of aggression and intimidation. But I'll call it what it is. The Russian Government launched a brutal invasion, unprovoked, on Ukraine and should be condemned for doing so, and Australia does. Together with the international community, we are banding together in strong terms to condemn these outrageous acts in the strongest possible terms. The footage that is emerging of missile strikes, air raid sirens and reports of hundreds of casualties, yet unconfirmed, are sadly not surprising given the events we have been witnessing for some time now and have been warning about. But even as these events continue to take place, we do call on the Russian Government to withdraw and return Ukraine to a peaceful situation. We denounce what are unilateral hostile actions in Ukraine. Russia is flagrantly breaching international law and the UN and the UN charter. Russia has chosen war.
So we reiterate our staunch support, which I was able to convey to the Ukrainian Prime Minister last night, about their sovereignty and their territorial integrity. These acts are of great concern, I think, to Australians right across the country, but particularly with just over 40,000 Australians of Ukrainian descent. Earlier today, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs met with community leaders from the Ukrainian community of Australia, some 18, to hear from them directly, to answer questions about the arrangements Australia is putting in place. And I thank them for working closely with the government and I thank them for their leadership in the community.As I said this morning, also, I want to send a particular message to Australian’s Russian descent , I know that they will also be feeling terrible about these events, whether they are of Ukrainian descent or Russian descent, we're all Australians and we thank them for their contribution to Australia, and we stand together with them as Australians.
My message to those Australians who continue to be in Ukraine is to, where safe to do so, leave. We have been saying this for some time now. Australians in Ukraine who are unable to leave should shelter in place until it is safe to depart, to monitor Smart Traveller travel advice for updates and register their whereabouts on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s online portal. It's important that they do this. We believe there's an up to around an estimated 1,400 Australians in Ukraine, but that is not the number that we currently have registered formally through those processes. Australians in Ukraine who require consular support should call the Australian government 24-hour consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135. That number again 1300 555 135, or here in Australia on +61 2 6261 3305, if you're outside of Australia. We will seek to provide support to the extent that we can in these exceptionally difficult circumstances, and I want to thank the diplomatic staff who remain in the region to do just that.
Before Russia took these deplorable steps, Australia had already imposed autonomous sanctions against Russia, targeting both individuals and entities for undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Today, we continue to go further, acting with our close partners, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, those in Europe and NATO in condemning Russia's actions. Yesterday, I announced sanctions and travel bans on eight members of Russia's Security Council. They will come into effect at midnight this evening. This council bears responsibility for the current phase of the invasion, including President Putin's declaration regarding Donetsk and Luhansk. I've also announced financial sanctions, which mean Australian individuals and entities cannot do business with five Russian banks, and this was in addition to restrictions on Australians investing in the state development bank VEB.
We are now progressing the second phase of those financial sanctions, of sanctions. The Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Birmingham, has completed the process of applying sanctions to an additional 25 persons - this includes army commanders, deputy defence ministers and Russian mercenaries who have been responsible for the unprovoked and unacceptable aggression - and four entities involved in the development and sale of military technology and weapons. We are now moving to place restrictions on Australians investing in a further four financial institutions. There will be further waves of sanctions as we identify those responsible for these egregious acts, including, as I discussed this afternoon with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, moving on around over 300 members of the Russian Parliament.
We must ensure there is a cost for this violent and unacceptable and egregious behaviour. There must be a cost. As I said today, we firmly believed that because of the actions of Russia over many months to prepare for this, that it was unlikely that they would change course. But there always must be a cost for such reprehensible violence and the way this is being done in Ukraine as we speak.
The government is also engaging with our partners and businesses to make sure we are mitigating risks to critical supply chains, and we will continue to work closely with Australian business to manage those risks. In briefings received this afternoon we have still no evidence of any state sanctioned cyber attacks on Australian assets here, but I thank the corporate community for the preparations that they've been undertaking and working with the Australian Cyber Security Centre to prepare themselves. I assure you that Australia stands ready to support internationally coordinated action to respond to any price or supply shocks in energy markets.
But right now, our thoughts are very much with those in Ukraine. Tthose who are enduring terrible invasion as the bombs fall and the shelling continues and the bullets are fired, as special forces from Russia are moving towards Kyiv and tanks are rolling in all around their borders. This is a chilling reminder of the world that we live in and where the threats and aggression of bullies and those who seek to intimidate others, to seek their own advantage. This is a reality. It is reality of this world, which means that like minded countries, those who believe in a world that favours freedom, need to stand together and need to ensure we have the proper defences and security arrangements to keep our people safe. This is why Australia was always taking such a strong stand. Right now we have, we are very concerned about all the people of Ukraine and we pray for their safety. But we also know that they are suffering a terrible ordeal at the hands of a terrible aggressor. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, realistically, will these extra sanctions have any impact? And will you consider doing what members of the Ukrainian diaspora is asking, which is supplying military arms to the country?
PRIME MINISTER: The latter is not something the Australian Government has been requested working with our partners in the region and we work closely with NATO and member states. What we are doing is working with them in other ways. I cannot go into a lot of detail about. Sanctions of the order that I have outlined matter. They do have an impact on those individuals, particularly when they’re done in concert with other countries, like those I've mentioned. And that's why I think it's important that all countries engage in these sanctions against these individuals. It sends a very clear message. You sanction, support, benefit from this type of violence then you will be isolated, you will be targeted, your assets will be frozen, you will not be able to go about your life freely. You will be tracked down and you will have your and your livelihoods completely disrupted in the same way that they are seeking to disrupt the lives of others. So I have a very strong view that the sanctions do matter, should be undertaken and we will continue to press forward with them under the laws that our government put in place to enable us to do just this very thing.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you mentioned military technical assistance, previously. Now that we've seen an invasion, what would that look like and do we have a possibility of while not sending troops, engaging in some sort of military support to Ukraine?
PRIME MINISTER: We are involved with our partners in these types of activities, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go into detail.
JOURNALIST: What about the Russian Ambassador to Australia. Have you spoken with him since these developments and would you plan to expel him?
PRIME MINISTER: There are no plans on that. Even in moments of terrible conflicts such as this, it is important to maintain channels of communication. That has been the convention and the way these things have been dealt with in the past and it is appropriate for him to have been brought in to speak to the Secretary of DFAT. That has taken place and that dialogue will continue there, but you can be in no doubt about the very stern messages that have been sent to the Ambassador on behalf of the Australian Government.
JOURNALIST: Are you worried that China is going to use this massive instability to launch any action in the Indo-Pacific?
PRIME MINISTER: I think it's important to separate these issues. And I want to make that point in particular to Australians. What I would be asking as I have consistently, welcome this being supported both here in this country and elsewhere. It's important that all countries denounce what is occurring in Russia and Ukraine. It is important that all countries do that. This is an unprovoked, unwarranted, illegal invasion of Ukraine. And the best way to ensure that these acts are condemned is to join the actions of countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan and impose these sanctions to ensure that there is a penalty and there is a cost. And you have to wonder where countries aren’t prepared to do that, what they're prepared to tolerate. We're not prepared to tolerate it. I think it's very important that the world acts together to denounce these terrible and violent acts.
JOURNALIST: Do you intend to meet the Russian Ambassador?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I won't. Messages will be delivered directly to them by the Secretary of the Department of Foreign affairs and Trade and the Minister. That's how these things are done. And as I told you, they’re in no doubt about our views about what the Russian Government is doing illegally in Ukraine and inflicting terrible crimes on the people of Ukraine.
