File photo. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN in New York, September 2023. Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has revealed he has spoken to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and reiterated New Zealand's support.
In a tweet, Luxon said New Zealand's support for Ukrainian sovereignty remained "strong and constant".
He said New Zealand supported Ukraine in response to "Russia's war of aggression".
Even though Ukraine and New Zealand are geographically distant, New Zealand’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty remains strong and constant.
— Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) December 20, 2023
I’ve just spoken with Ukraine President @ZelenskyyUa and reiterated New Zealand’s support in response to Russia’s war of aggression. pic.twitter.com/nyyilNk5Ou
Luxon has said he is considering advice about whether to expel Russia's ambassador, softening his previous position.
When in opposition, Luxon and his party repeatedly called for the government to expel Russia's ambassador Georgii Zuev and withdraw New Zealand's own diplomat, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now in government with two coalition partners he said only that Foreign Minister Winston Peters was seeking advice on the matter.
Former prime minister Chris Hipkins said at the NATO summit in July that New Zealand would continue to reassess and re-evaluate how best it could support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
In May, Hipkins announced increased military, humanitarian, legal and economic support for Ukraine.
It included extending the deployment 95 New Zealand Defence Force personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers in the UK to 30 June 2024, and adding two additional NZDF staff to conduct space training programmes for members of the Ukraine Armed Forces in Poland, until 30 June, 2024.
Over the previous year New Zealand had contributed more than $78m of financial and military support.
