Ukrainian Greens criticise Shoebridge over Ukraine military aid stance

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 07:02 · Archive

The Ukrainian Greens have condemned Australian Greens leader David Shoebridge's recent comments opposing military aid for Ukraine without UN Security Council approval. Shoebridge, newly elected to lead the Australian Greens, said he did not back helping Ukraine fight invading Russian forces unless the UN Security Council authorised it. However, Russia holds permanent veto power in the Security Council and has killed more than 15,000 civilians in Ukraine since the 2022 full-scale invasion.

The Ukrainian Greens called Shoebridge's position 'detached from reality' and accused him of playing into the hands of Vladimir Putin. The party said 'dogmatic pacifism kills' and that pacifism in the face of an invader does not stop war but leads to occupation and national destruction. They likened his demand for UN Security Council authorisation to 'asking a criminal for permission to call the police'.

Parliamentarians across Australian politics have criticised Shoebridge's stance. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, who chairs the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine, accused him of unilaterally changing his party's policy to 'effectively abandon Ukraine'. She questioned whether Shoebridge had changed party policy after dining with the Russian ambassador in Sydney in October 2022, one week after Putin issued a nuclear threat against Ukraine.

How it is being reported

• ‘Dogmatic pacifism kills’: Ukrainian Greens brand David Shoebridge’s war comments ‘detached from reality’The Ukrainian Greens have blasted their Australian counterparts, claiming newly elected leader David Shoebridge is playing into the hands of Vladimir Putin.Perth Now · 18 Oct, 06:41
• ‘Dogmatic pacifism kills’: Ukrainian Greens brand David Shoebridge’s war comments ‘detached from reality’The Ukrainian Greens have blasted their Australian counterparts, claiming newly elected leader David Shoebridge is playing into the hands of Vladimir Putin.The West Australian · 18 Oct, 06:41

In this story: David Shoebridge · Vladimir Putin · Deborah O'Neill · Ukraine · Russia · Australian Greens · Ukrainian Greens

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem