Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia's contribution to a future peacekeeping effort in Ukraine would be "small", as the Opposition maintains local troops should not be sent there.
Overnight, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer brought together a so-called "" — some 29 Western nations, including European countries, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, but excluding the United States.
Planning for a peacekeeping force for Ukraine will move to an "operational phase", Starmer said, as he sought concrete commitments to support Kyiv and urged allies to ramp up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We will build up Ukraine's own defences and armed forces, and be ready to deploy as a 'coalition of the willing' in the event of a peace deal, to help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea and in the sky," Starmer said.
Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Sunday, Albanese said Russia must agree in order to pave a pathway for peace.
"We want to see is peace so that we can have peacekeeping," Albanese told reporters, also saying that if Australia made a contribution it would be "small" although he did not elaborate.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has rejected the idea of sending Australian troops as part of a peacekeeping force, saying Australia should continue to support Ukraine but that providing ground troops is a "job for European nations not Australia".
Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley reiterated this position on Sunday, telling Sky News the Coalition "will always stand with Ukraine" but that "when it comes to boots on the ground, this is a matter better handled by Europe".
Greens leader Adam Bandt said his party's "preference would not be putting troops in harm's way", but did not rule out support.
"We have to wait to see," he told ABC's Insiders program on Sunday. "What is the agreement? What is the request that is being made?"
Following his call with the "coalition of the willing", Albanese said in a statement stood in solidarity with Ukraine and "will continue to do so for as long as it takes".
The call builds on a flurry of diplomacy between European and other Western countries to find ways to help Ukraine after US President Donald Trump up-ended Washington's previous support and launched peace talks with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also joined the virtual meeting, in which leaders pledged to accelerate military support and tighten sanctions against Russia.
Starmer said the Kremlin's "dithering and delay" over the US' ceasefire proposal, and Russia's "continued barbaric attacks" on Ukraine, "run entirely counter" to Putin's stated desire for peace.
Albanese said it was not just a struggle for Ukraine's national sovereignty.
"This is a struggle for the international rule of law," he said in a statement.
"What happens in the Euro-Atlantic has serious implications for our region — the Indo-Pacific — and vice versa."
Albanese noted that Putin's regime had "imperialist designs, for Ukraine and beyond".
"We must ensure Russia's illegal and immoral actions are not rewarded through any peace process," he said.
Australia has committed $1.5 billion to help Ukraine defend itself, including $1.3 billion in military support and equipment such as Bushmaster vehicles. It has also helped train Ukrainian soldiers.
With reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
