Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has this evening had a "warm and insightful phone call" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Hipkins made the call from Auckland Airport ahead of his flight to England tonight for King Charles III's coronation.
The call is the first time the world leaders have spoken since Zelensky's address to New Zealand's Parliament on December 14.
"The two leaders discussed New Zealand's unequivocal support for Ukraine and its ongoing condemnation of Russia’s egregious actions," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement this evening.
The pair also discussed Hipkins' upcoming trip to the UK, where he will visit New Zealand Defence Force personnel training members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"New Zealand steadfastly supports Ukraine and will continue to look for ways we can provide meaningful contributions," Hipkins said.
"I look forward to meeting President Zelensky when the opportunity arises.
"Over a year on from Russia’s illegal invasion, we continue to call on Russia to act consistently with its international obligations, cease military aggression, withdraw troops and then return to meaningful diplomatic negotiations."
In a tweet this evening, Zelensky said he thanked Hipkins for New Zealand's "participation in training our military".
"We count on its continuation and further cooperation on defence and humanitarian issues," he wrote.
He said the world leaders also discussed "the importance of consolidating the countries of the Pacific region to support [Ukraine]".
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