Scott Morrison says Australia will send Bushmasters to Ukraine and fill Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia will fly a number of Australian-made Bushmaster vehicles over to Ukraine, after a public plea from the nation's wartime President. Key points: Bushmasters are an Australian-built armoured troop carrier The vehicles have been globally lauded for protecting soldiers' safety Volodymyr Zelenskyy used a speech to the parliament to request Bushmasters Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly appealed for the armoured vehicles while speaking to Australia’s parliament via video link on Thursday, saying those “fighting against evil” must be armed. Mr Morrison said this morning that Australia would meet Mr Zelenskyy's request. "We're not just sending our prayers, we are sending our guns, our ammunitions, humanitarian aid, all of this, our body armour," he said. "We're going to be sending our armoured vehicles, our Bushmasters as well, and we'll be flying them over there on our C-17 [Globemasters]." But he did not say how many vehicles would be sent or when they would be flown to Europe. Mr Morrison's confirmation came after Defence Minister Peter Dutton said his department was still looking into how to get the Bushmasters to Ukraine. "We are very, very much open to the request and I think of the inspiration that President Zelenskyy has provided to his own people and the world – he has brought Europe together in a way that was not possible before the war — we want to do whatever we can to help bring this war to an end," Mr Dutton said on Friday morning. Speaking via a translator, Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine needed weapons as well as sanctions against Russia and its supporters. "Most of all we have to keep those who are fighting against this evil armed," he said. "For example you have very good armoured personnel vehicles, Bushmasters, that could help Ukraine substantially, and other pieces of equipment that could strengthen our position in terms of armament. "If you have an opportunity to share this with us we would be very grateful." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-01/scott-morrison-australia-send-bushmasters-ukraine/100957634
