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AAP
AAP
Politics
Andrew Brown

Australia to help Ukraine for 'as long as it takes'

Deputy PM Richard Marles says Australia will continue to provide Ukraine with military supplies. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has vowed Australia will provide Ukraine with military supplies for as long as it takes, as the Russian invasion edges towards its first anniversary.

Mr Marles said while resources to Ukraine would need to be balanced alongside other issues in the Indo-Pacific region, Australia would still need to do what it could to help Ukraine.

"We will continue a discussion with Ukraine for as long as it takes to make sure they can stay in the contest," the defence minister told ABC Radio on Thursday.

"We'll continue that dialogue with Ukraine to see how that can continue."

Ahead of speculation that Russia may be planning a new military offensive in Ukraine to coincide with the anniversary, Mr Marles said all countries needed to be united in support behind Ukraine.

"All of us need to be ... providing the kind of support which will enable Ukraine to remain in the contest so that they can determine this conflict on their own terms, and that's what we're seeking to do," he said.

"The latest iteration of that is, obviously, the (military) trainers that we provided."

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to London on his second trip outside of the country since the invasion began.

The UK government announced it would provide a fresh surge of military deliveries to Ukraine, and pledged to train pilots in aid of the conflict.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Australia should not be complacent in aiding Ukraine during the war.

"We cannot, after one year in which Ukraine has shown far greater resilience and capacity to defend itself than many people expected back at that time, now allow fatigue to expose Ukraine to potential defeat," he told ABC Radio.

"It's important that we do continue to provide support, that NATO partners continue to provide support, and in doing so that we put Ukraine in as strong a position as possible to continue to successfully defend itself."

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