New Zealand has renewed the deployment of Defence Force personnel in Europe to support Ukraine, as its war against Russia drags on.
Up to 70 NZDF personnel will be deployed in Europe – the majority to train Ukrainian forces in Poland as part of a multinational initiative led by Norway.
The Defence Force will also continue providing intelligence, liaison and logistics support in Europe.
Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith said the NZDF's support would prioritise training in specialist areas such as electronic warfare and drone operations.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the Government was "fully committed to supporting the people of Ukraine".
“The defence of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of Europe, but also for the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“That is another reason why New Zealand continues to play its part providing military and diplomatic support, humanitarian and economic assistance, and in maintaining economic pressure on Russia through our international sanctions efforts.”
Goldsmith said: “The brave Ukrainian men and women who have been fighting for years deserve our support for their courage and fortitude.
"We will continue to play our part alongside other like-minded partners in the international community."
It comes as Russia and Ukraine have escalated their aerial attacks in the more than four-year all-out war.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin for talks to try to revive a stalled push to end the war.
Witkoff and Kushner then held “encouraging” talks in Kyiv in their first official visit to Ukraine, but made no breakthrough toward ending Russia’s invasion.
Despite the latest diplomatic push, the core demands of Moscow and Kyiv remain mutually exclusive, especially over territorial concessions, underscoring the difficulty of reaching an agreement.
SHARE ME