Australia signs 10-year security pact with Ukraine and warns of shifting world order

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The pact commits Australia to sustained defense and security cooperation with Kyiv, though it does not include a NATO-style mutual defense guarantee. As part of this agreement, Australia is providing an additional $60 million in support, including $45 million for Australian Defence Force equipment, $10 million for energy support, and $5 million for humanitarian assistance. This brings Australia’s total contribution to Ukraine since the 2022 invasion to approximately $1.9 billion.

In a related foreign policy address, Albanese declared that the post-1945 global order is “no longer fit for purpose” and warned that the Indo-Pacific should not be treated as a “chessboard” for superpower competition between the United States and China. He emphasized that middle powers must help shape a new global order and defend international rules.

Additionally, Albanese met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale to discuss a transformational comprehensive treaty. Wale reaffirmed that Australia remains the Solomon Islands’ “partner of choice” despite previous security pacts with China.