Defence Minister Richard Marles has responded to Ukraine’s firing of six American-supplied longer-range missiles into Russian territory, as Russian President Vladimir Putin formally lowered the threshold for using nuclear weapons.
Russia is vowing to react accordingly, prompting the ABC News Breakfast hosts to ask Marles if the planned reopening of the Australian embassy in Ukraine is appropriate given the potentially escalating situation.
“In terms of the embassy specifically, we want to have our embassy open in Ukraine, and we have for a long time. Before the conflict started, we had an embassy there, and we do have an ambassador who is based in the region, in Warsaw,” Marles said.
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“We will reopen the embassy when we believe it is safe to do so, so this continues to be a matter that we are working through.”
Marles said the statements from Russia overnight were “deeply concerning”.
“As is the co-operation that we are seeing between Russia and North Korea and the growing number of North Korean troops on the Ukrainian border,” Marles added.
“This represents a completely unacceptable escalation on what is already a completely unacceptable conflict, where Russia has sought to impose itself on a smaller neighbour, not by reference to international law but simply by reference to power and might.”
Speaking on the same topic to Seven’s Sunrise later in the morning, Marles said “any talk” about the use of nuclear weapons was “completely reprehensible”.
“This comes from a leader who has demonstrated a willful disregard for the rules-based order and the sovereignty of a neighbour in terms of Ukraine.”
Read more on the escalation of the conflict here.
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