Australian PM Visits Kyiv, Bans Imports of Russian Gold

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that his country will ban imports of Russian gold and impose sanctions against 16 more Russian nationals, Reuters reported on Sunday.

Albanese noted that the new sanctions will cover ministers and businessmen, which will increase the blacklist of Russian nationals to 843 names.

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The Prime Minister visited Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, three towns in the Kyiv region and sites of some of the most infamous atrocities due to the Russian war and pledged more military aid for Ukraine.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Albanese said Australia would give Ukraine 14 more armoured personnel carriers and 20 Bushmaster vehicles.

Last week, the Australian leader attended the Nato summit in Madrid, along with other non-member Indo-Pacific leaders including New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol.

In Madrid, Albanese described the war in Ukraine as “a humanitarian tragedy” and “a challenge to the global rules on which our security and prosperity is based”.

He said: “Russia’s brutal invasion is causing severe economic disruption that is being felt right around the world including in Australia. Although we are far away geographically, Australians are paying Putin’s petrol prices. We are paying more for food and household items, because global supply chains have been disrupted by his illegal and unjustifiable invasion.”