Australia will send $100m in weapons and combat tools to support Ukraine

The government is pledging an additional $100 million military assistance package, which includes drone technology and air defence systems, to reaffirm Australia's support of Ukraine's self-defence.

Defence Minister Richard Marles visited the country on Saturday morning to tour sites of Ukraine's defence industry and see firsthand the costs and consequences of Russia's "unrelenting" attacks.

"Australia remains committed to supporting Ukraine to resolve the conflict on its terms," Mr Marles, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said.

A statement from the minister's office said the assistance package provided $30 million in unscrewed aerial systems and $15 million in high-priority equipment such as combat helmets, rigid hull inflatable boats, boots, fire masks and generators.

Another $50 million included the delivery of short-range air defence systems and air-to-ground precision munitions.

In a meeting with the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and his Deputy Minister of Defence, Lieutenant-General Ivan Havryliuk, Mr Marles said: "Ukraine and its people have endured more than two years of Russia's full-scale invasion but their spirit remains strong."

Australia has spent more than $1 billion, including the new $100 million package, in overall assistance to Ukraine.

This includes $880 million specifically provided to support Ukraine's military, and participation in multinational program Operation Kudu to train Ukrainian army personnel in the United Kingdom.

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The Deputy Prime Minister also visited Poland where he met his counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.

Mr Marles' office said the two discussed the conflict in Ukraine and Russia's "flagrant breach" of the UN Charter.

He also thanked the Polish government for supporting a six-month deployment of Royal Australian Air Force's E-7A Wedgetail, which is said to have helped protect "a vital gateway" of international humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.