Australia warns China and the US the Indo-Pacific is not their 'chessboard' as Albanese deepens Ukraine support

In a major foreign policy speech in New York, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to say the post-1945 world order is no longer fit for purpose. He will also warn China and the United States that the Indo-Pacific is not a chessboard for global superpowers. The remarks come as he has launched Australia's campaign for a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council.

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The speech follows Albanese's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where the two leaders signed a decade-long security agreement. Australia also announced an additional $60 million in support for Ukraine, adding to its existing assistance since Russia's invasion in 2022. Albanese said the package would help Ukraine defend itself against Russia and reinforce international rules.

The agreement provides a framework for defence and security cooperation, including military training, rebuilding Ukrainian military facilities and exploring joint manufacturing of missiles and drones. Albanese said Russia had expected to "steamroll" through Ukraine in weeks, but underestimated the country's people and leadership. He also described Zelenskyy as an extraordinary leader and said the meeting was a proud moment for Australians supporting international law.

The intervention places Australia's Ukraine policy alongside a broader argument about the future of the international system. Albanese is expected to say Australia must help shape a new global order by building new relationships, defending the rules that govern relations between states and rejecting the idea that might makes right. His comments also echo similar warnings from other middle powers that say they need a stronger voice as major powers compete for influence.

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The Indo-Pacific warning is significant because it reflects growing concern in Canberra about strategic rivalry in the region. Albanese is expected to identify competition between China and the United States as the most consequential factor shaping the area. By framing the region as more than a site of great-power competition, he is signalling that Australia wants a rules-based approach rather than one driven by force or pressure.

What remains unclear is how the new security agreement will be implemented in practice, including the timing of any training, equipment transfers or joint production plans. The speech also does not resolve how far Australia is prepared to go in balancing its ties with Washington and Beijing while backing Ukraine. The next developments to watch are the full text of the address, any further details on the Ukraine agreement and whether other partners respond with similar commitments.

Australia has announced an additional $60m in support for Ukraine during a meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations gathering in New York. The two leaders also signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement, marking a further deepening of Canberra's commitment to Kyiv as Russia's invasion continues. Albanese said the package was intended to support Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression and to reinforce international rules.

The new funding includes $45m for Australian Defence Force equipment for Ukraine, $10m for Ukraine's energy support fund and $5m for humanitarian assistance. Albanese said the latest pledge would take Australia's total contribution to Ukraine since the 2022 invasion to $1.9bn. He also said the agreement would remain in place during the war and after the conflict ends, indicating a longer-term security relationship between the two countries.

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The security agreement also sets out further cooperation on training for Ukrainian forces, with the aim of helping them deter and repel future Russian attacks. It also opens the way for possible cooperation on training centres and joint production of air-defence measures, missiles and drones. Zelenskyy described the document as the strongest between the two countries, while Albanese said it was a proud day for Australians in support of international law.

The announcement comes during a week of diplomacy at the UN, where Ukraine has been seeking continued military, financial and political backing from partners. For Australia, the pledge adds to a broader pattern of support for Kyiv among Western allies, and it links immediate wartime assistance with a longer-term security framework. The emphasis on energy support and humanitarian aid also reflects the wider strain the war has placed on Ukraine's infrastructure and civilian population.

Albanese's comments also framed the war as a test of the international order, saying that if a larger country is allowed to benefit from breaking international law through invasion, it would set a bad precedent. That argument places the announcement beyond a bilateral aid package and into the wider debate over deterrence, sovereignty and the credibility of global rules. The agreement's reference to peacetime cooperation suggests both sides are planning for a postwar phase, even though the timing and terms of that future remain uncertain.

What remains unclear is how quickly the new equipment, training and funding will be delivered, and how much of the agreement's longer-term cooperation can be implemented while the war is still under way. The statement did not set out a detailed timetable for the joint production plans or the proposed training centres. The next developments to watch are any follow-up details from Canberra and Kyiv on delivery schedules, implementation mechanisms and whether other partners respond with similar commitments.

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