New Zealand announces over $9 million aid package for Ukraine
Photo: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (flickr.com)
New Zealand will provide Ukraine with a new aid package worth 16 million New Zealand dollars (over 9.4 million dollars), the official website of the New Zealand government reports.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters made this announcement ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.
The package will include both military and humanitarian assistance.
In particular, 4 million New Zealand dollars (approximately 2.3 million dollars) will go to multinational funds that provide Ukraine with lethal and non-lethal support, such as the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) fund and the Drone Coalition coordinated by the UK and Latvia.
"The defense of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of the Euro-Atlantic, but also for 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," emphasized Peters.
Another 7 million New Zealand dollars (about 4.1 million dollars) will support affected communities inside Ukraine, and 1 million New Zealand dollars (about 593,000 dollars) will go toward helping Ukrainians who have taken refuge in neighboring countries.
"The scale of need remains vast, as Russia continues its bombardment of densely populated civilian areas of Ukraine," stated Prime Minister Luxon.
Wellington also highlighted its recent sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet and individuals involved in prolonging the war.
"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," added the Foreign Minister.
New Zealand's aid to Ukraine
Since the start of Russia's brutal and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, New Zealand has shown firm support for the Ukrainian people.
The government imposed strict sanctions, freezing assets linked to Russia.
In addition, Wellington sanctioned 100 Russian nationals. These individuals, who support the regime of Russian leader Vladimir Putin or are involved in crimes against Ukraine, are banned from entering New Zealand.
Furthermore, New Zealand has provided substantial financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. In February 2024, the country announced an additional aid package worth 25.9 million New Zealand dollars (equivalent to 16.9 million dollars).
On June 19, New Zealand introduced a new round of sanctions against Russia, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea. The sanctions targeted individuals, as well as shadow fleet vessels, used to circumvent restrictions.
