Tony Abbott says Australia will open a embassy in Kiev and consider 'non-lethal' military assistance

[fruxodaily]

[QUOTE]Australia will open an embassy in Kiev and is considering providing military assistance to Ukraine, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told Parliament.

Mr Abbott said the "interim" embassy would support nine Australian Federal Police investigators who are in Ukraine investigating the Malaysia Airlines MH17 tragedy.

He said the Government was also considering short-term humanitarian and non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine.

"Australia and Ukraine are geographically distant but we have grown close in responding to the MH17 atrocity in which 37 Australians were murdered, were murdered by Russian-backed rebels," Mr Abbott said.

"In the medium term, we are considering civil and military capacity-building assistance to that country."

Mr Abbott said Australia was grateful for Ukraine's help in recovering the bodies of passengers on MH17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July with the loss of nearly 300 lives.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-03/tony-abbott-announces-interim-embassy-in-kiev/5716632[/url]

[Lonestriper]

I don't quite like the idea of Australia handing out military aid willy-nilly. Flying missions in Iraq is testy enough, giving military aid to Ukraine is a step beyond.

[Dromlexer]

Feels almost like a step closer to a more literal definition of World War III.

PS: Let's hope that won't be a war.

[Elspin]

[QUOTE=Lonestriper;45878574]I don't quite like the idea of Australia handing out military aid willy-nilly. Flying missions in Iraq is testy enough, giving military aid to Ukraine is a step beyond.[/QUOTE]

28 Australian citizens died as a result of Russia's actions involving Ukraine, non-lethal military aid isn't so extreme

[Joey Skylynx]

Australia is secretly going to take all the people they have arrested for building machine pistols, and send them to Ukraine to manufacture machine pistols for the Right Sector. They will also send all of the machine pistols in their evidence lockers to Ukraine.

Because why not.

[ScottyWired]

Not to excuse everything else he's done I'm actually quite pleased with the way Abbott (usually) handles military affairs.

[The mouse]

Does anyone else think that It's odd that out of all Western Nations willing to help Ukraine, Australia is doing the most to help?

[Thomo_UK]

Australia is going to drop spiders on the separatists

[Aman]

Does it seem half assed? I guess it depends on the aid amount. Cause a small amount will do nothing other than be symbolic.

Just seems like "well Ukraine were hanging you out to dry sorry but here's something to show you that we care, I guess".

Or maybe Australia is just the first to put their foot forward it depends how you perceive it I suppose.

[fruxodaily]

[QUOTE=The mouse;45880159]Does anyone else think that It's odd that out of all Western Nations willing to help Ukraine, Australia is doing the most to help?[/QUOTE]
To be honestly fair this country was hit hard by MH17 so the Abbott Government has a total remove all Russian separatist view atm

esp the fact they were making it deadly dangerous for Australian and Dutch investigators to get into the crash site