Pressure is building on the federal government to reopen its embassy in Ukraine, with former high commissioner to the United Kingdom George Brandis saying there is "no excuse" to keep the Kyiv office closed.
Most countries, including Australia, removed their diplomats from Ukraine before Russia's invasion in February 2022, but many have now gone back.
Speaking on the ABC's Q+A program, Mr Brandis, who is a former attorney-general and high commissioner to the UK, said the Australian diplomats that were relocated to Poland should return to Ukraine given that other countries' diplomats had.
"In Australia's case, in particular, there's just no excuse for not sending the ambassador and the DFAT personnel back in," he said.
"The Australian embassy in Kyiv was co-located with the Canadian embassy.
"The Canadians are back in, so what is being asked of us and what we should do is do the very thing the Canadians have done and reoccupy the very building that they have reoccupied."
His comments come just days after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would like to see the Australian embassy in Kyiv reopen.
"I'll be very happy [to see diplomats back]," he said.
"I have good relations with Australia, they really helped us a lot.
"To shake hands with the ambassador of Australia, I'll do it with pleasure."
Speaking at a press conference to mark the first anniversary of Russia's invasion over the weekend, the president said reopening the embassy would be even more significant if it came with a gift.
"Please come back," he said.
"But on [a] Bushmaster — we need one more."
Australia has provided several Bushmaster troop vehicles since the president first requested them in his address to parliament last year.
Government defends Kyiv embassy closure
Appearing alongside Mr Brandis on Q+A, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy defended the decision to keep the embassy closed, saying it was constantly under review.
"It's a really complex and challenging area," he said.
"There's operational, logistical security and safety things to take into account."
He insisted consular support was still being offered to about 50 Australians and Australian permanent residents who remained in Ukraine.
The continued closure of the embassy was also defended by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Jan Adams.
"The security situation in Ukraine, and Kyiv in particular, remains complex and challenging," she told Senate estimates last week.
"As recently as last week, Russian missiles again targeted Kyiv, with Ukrainians once more forced to seek refuge in makeshift shelters, including subway stations."
Liberal Senator David Van questioned why risk mitigation was not an option, given embassies had previously operated in war zones in other countries.
"We've had embassies in Afghanistan during wartime, and in many other places where our soldiers have been at war," he said.
"Clearly, risk mitigation is an option."
Ms Adams said her decision was based on risk assessments and considered the risk was too great at the moment to send diplomats back.
"We're operating our embassy out of Poland. We are doing so very satisfactorily," she said.
"Civilian infrastructure [in Ukraine] is being targeted and people, not just Ukrainians, living in Kyiv are under the threat of missile and drone attacks."
