Government announces $16 million support package for Ukraine ahead of NATO Summit
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The government has announced a $16 million support package for Ukraine ahead of this week's NATO Summit in the Hague.
Two multi-national funds providing Kyiv with lethal and non-lethal military assistance will each receive $4 million.
Another $7 million will go to further humanitarian assistance for conflict-affected communities, and one million is for Ukrainians displaced in neighbouring countries.
The Prime Minister said New Zealand stood in solidarity with Ukraine.
"Its war of self-defence is well into its fourth year and our condemnation of
Russia's illegal full-scale invasion
remains undiminished," Luxon said.
The support package follows recently announced sanctions targeting Russia's "shadow fleet" and other enablers of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters said the defence of Ukraine had
significant implications on the security
of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.
"We must continue to work with others in the international community to uphold a rules-based order that serves all our interests," Peters said.
"It is vital the international community maintains pressure on Russia to end its war and engage meaningfully with efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
33 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Political commentators Dale Husband and Ben Thomas
Photo: RNZ / Craig McCulloch Dale Husband is a long time broadcaster and Radio Waatea presenter hosting a Maori focused current affairs programme. Ben Thomas is a former National government press secretary, a columnist and a director of public affairs firm Capital.
RNZ News
33 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Urban Issues: The case for keeping the Gordon Wilson flats
The Gordon Wilson flats in Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens Urban issues correspondent Bill McKay discusses the government's decision to introduce a bill to demolish Wellington's Gordon Wilson Flats and why he believes it's a new low in the story of our architectural heritage. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
NZ may help Pacific Islanders in the Middle East 'where feasible' says Peters spokesperson
A C-130J Hercules at Whenuapai RNZAF base. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel A spokesperson for New Zealand's minister of foreign affairs says where feasible, they may assist Pacific Islanders in the Middle East. The Defence Force is sending a plane to the Middle East to assist any New Zealanders stranded in Iran or Israel. This was decided before the US A spokesperson for Winston Peters said in a statement that New Zealand is working with partner countries and will be coordinating with other consular operations. "The Minister has said New Zealand will play its part as a good international citizen, and where feasible, that may involve assisting other nationals including those from the Pacific Islands." The foreign affairs ministry (MFAT) is providing SafeTravel advice on overland evacuation and border routes, the spokesperson said. This includes how MFAT will support New Zealanders to receive travel authorisation for border crossing from Iran. "It is important to note that nationals of the Cook Islands, Tokelau and Niue have the rights of New Zealand citizens - and if nationals from those countries are in Iran or Israel, they're urged to follow the advice from MFAT to all New Zealanders to depart overland, if it is safe to do so." New Zealanders in Iran and Israel needing urgent consular assistance should call the Ministry's Emergency Consular Call Centre on +64 99 20 20 20. The C-130J Hercules, along with government personnel, left Auckland on Monday morning but will take a few days to reach the region. Its exact destination in the Middle East was not disclosed for security reasons. Airspace is still closed in the region, but New Zealand's defence minister Judith Collins said on Sunday the deployment was part of New Zealand's contingency plans. The government was also in discussions with commercial airlines to see what they could do to assist, although it was uncertain when airspace would reopen. Foreign minister Winston Peters has reiterated New Zealand's call for diplomacy and dialogue. World leaders have reacted to the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites . Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump in a recorded statement. "History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime the world's most dangerous weapons." Iran's foreign minister Araghchi wrote on X that the US had "committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations". "In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest and people." Meanwhile, US bombers sent into the Pacific on the weekend were a decoy, a US official said. International media had reported that B-2 bombers had been deployed to a US military base on the Pacific island of Guam. In a press conference at the Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said the strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities involved sending B2 bombers to the Pacific as a decoy. The Marianas Press reported General Caine saying this 'deception effort' was known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders.
