New Zealand has announced it will send a further $16 million in support to Ukraine as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets with NATO leaders in Washington, DC.
In a statement this morning, the Prime Minister said $6 million of the funding would go towards military assistance for Ukraine, while $10 million would go towards humanitarian assistance.
Of the military assistance, $2 million would go towards military healthcare and $4 million towards Ukraine's drone capability, which is being led by the United Kingdom and Latvia.
It puts New Zealand's contribution to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion at more than $130 million.
"New Zealand understands that while we are distant from Ukraine, what happens there affects us all, and we are prepared to stand with Ukraine for the long haul," Luxon said.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "illegal, unprovoked, and unjustified".
"Russia's war of aggression has undermined global peace and security, and Russia's obstruction at the United Nations has undermined the multilateral institutions charged with keeping all of us safe," Peters said.
The Government also revealed that new sanctions on Russia, focused on individuals and entities providing military support, would be announced "in the coming days".
Since the February 24, 2022 invasion, New Zealand has undertaken several efforts to support Ukraine's defence.
This includes support for military training and equipment, humanitarian assistance, the training of Ukrainian troops, human rights monitoring, and sanctions.
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