Defence is in “real-time discussions” on how Australia will fulfill Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request for Bushmaster armoured vehicles, made in his video link address to the parliament.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that Australia “had every intention to help”.
“We will send our armoured vehicles, Bushmasters, [and] we will fly them over in Globemaster C-17s to make sure they can be there to support,” Mr Morrison said on Friday.
Confusion erupted in the budget estimates hearing being held on Friday morning, with Defence officials unaware of whether their minister or the Prime Minister had or had not announced “up to four” vehicles for Ukraine’s defensive efforts against the Russian invasion.
The department was asked overnight to present options after the plea for the Australian-designed vehicles. Officials were not aware of the announcement by the Prime Minister or the Defence Minister.
The department’s associate secretary Matt Yannopoulos advised the estimates hearing that he had just been informed the Defence Minister Peter Dutton had announced up to four vehicles, apparently during a media interview.