Australia should use frozen Russian assets to rebuild a critical hospital hit in a barrage of missiles, Ukraine’s ambassador says as the federal government condemns the attack.
Vasyl Myroshnychenko branded the incident as horrible and “one of the worst attacks ever”.
A day of mourning has been declared after at least 36 civilians were killed in the deadliest wave of strikes against Ukraine in months.
“That was a very important children’s hospital, it was specifically dealing with some very complicated cases,” the ambassador told AAP.
“The brand-new building which was recently completed which included the cancer ward and toxicology ward ... when you can think Russia cannot go lower, they are always finding a way.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, describing it as abhorrent.
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“It is time, well past time for Vladimir Putin to end this conflict,” he told reporters in Sydney. “Russia’s actions continue to shock the world. At the NATO summit ... no doubt this will be a topic as well.”
He later told reporters in Canberra he would also welcome Australia joining a security guarantee signed with G7 nations and hoped for a new military aid package when NATO members meet in Washington.
Defence Minister Richard Marles is representing Australia at the summit and will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In April, this masthead reported a group of prominent Australians – including former prime ministers, business, union and military leaders and former diplomats – had written to Treasurer Jim Chalmers urging him to consider several options to divert billions in “dirty money” held in Australia since it sanctioned Russian oligarchs and others deemed to have aided and abetted the invasion and the occupation of Ukraine.
The US and Britain have been pushing G7 allies to seize the central bank assets outright, but some European leaders are opposed to the move over legal concerns and worries that it could set a dangerous precedent.
Any Australian move to seize Russian assets to aid Ukraine would require law reform. Currently, there is no domestic mechanism for seizing frozen assets.
AAP with Lachlan Abbott