Rustem Umerov: Australian Bushmasters have proven their battlefield effectiveness

The Bushmaster armored vehicles, which the Australian government transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have already proven their effectiveness on the battlefield.

This was reported by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov following the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue conference - a key platform for security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, which was attended by the Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The peace summit is the beginning of the way to the end of the war, not to another escalation on the part of the Russian Federation. The war must end according to law, according to international law, according to justice. And this is a must," the head of state emphasized.

Together with President Volodymyr Zelensky, we met with US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin. We discussed the defense needs of our country, the strengthening of the Ukrainian air defense system, the F-16 coalition and the preparation of a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and the US. I am grateful to our American partners for their leadership and unwavering support.

Met with the Minister of Defense of Japan, Minoru Kihara. I am grateful for the important help in the treatment and rehabilitation of our servicemen. Among the key topics of discussion are the demining of our territories, equipment for fortifications and the provision of ambulances for Ukraine. I’m grateful to my Japanese colleague for his important contribution to Ukraine's victory - since February 2022, Japan has provided Ukraine with over $7 billion in aid, which includes humanitarian projects and the provision of non-lethal military equipment.

I was glad to meet personally with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense of Australia, Richard Marles.

I am grateful for the important assistance Australia has been providing since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Australian Bushmaster APCs have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield, assisting our soldiers in combat missions and saving the lives of personnel.

We discussed Ukraine's key needs for repelling Russian aggression as well as strengthening cooperation in the defense industry. We have significant potential for the development of our bilateral relations and are constantly working on it.

Glad to meet the Minister of National Defense of Canada, Bill Blair. I thanked Canada for their active participation in the capability coalitions within the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, in particular the drone coalition, the Air Defense Coalition, and the Air Force Coalition. We discussed ways to further support Ukraine, the current situation on the battlefield, and strengthening cooperation in the field of defense technologies.

Ukraine needs the support of Asian countries on the way to peace and their presence at the Peace Summit. The Asia-Pacific region has strategic importance for our country. We continue to work on expanding partnerships in the region and strengthening bilateral cooperation."