What role should Australia play in the reconstruction of Ukraine? That question was discussed at the launch of a new report in Canberra this week. Source: Ukrainian Eparchy.
The John Curtin Research Centre report, “Winning the Peace: Australia and Ukraine’s Recovery”, written by political economist Dominic Meagher, was presented at an event at the Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok attended the event, which also included the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
In his address, JCRC executive director Nick Dyrenfurth said Australia faced a choice: to remain a passive observer or to become a respected partner with Ukraine in one of the largest recovery efforts since World War II.
Mr Dyrenfurth said an active commitment to supporting Ukraine will shape Australia’s future – its security, competitiveness and international standing for decades to come.
The report proposes a number of steps: strengthening Australia’s diplomatic presence in Kyiv, engaging Australian specialists in energy, logistics, agriculture, and demining, as well as convening an Australia–Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2026.
Cardinal Bychok expressed his gratitude for the support of the Australian Government and the wider public, which has continued since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He stressed that Ukraine is faced with an extremely difficult choice: “For us, it is very important what the price of this peace will be for Ukrainians and what security guarantees Ukraine will have to prevent aggression from repeating in the future.”
Cardinal Bychok recalled the recent remembrance of the victims of the Holodomor, a tragedy that claimed the lives of seven to 10 million Ukrainians, and also drew attention to current tragic events.
“Four days ago, nine Russian missiles struck my hometown of Ternopil – that is the answer to how much Russia wants peace,” Cardinal Bychok said.
The founder of United Ukraine Appeal, Alex Vynokur, said that by helping Ukraine “win the peace, we defend the very values that underpin our own society.”
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Bishop Mykola Bychok participated in an event dedicated to the recovery of Ukraine in Canberra (Ukrainian Eparchy)
