Ukraine, Albanese: "Australia will not be intimidated by bullies"

Rome, March 17 (LaPresse) – "Vladimir Putin is a bully. You know what Australians do? They stand up to bullies. They don’t get intimidated by an authoritarian leader, they don’t engage in that kind of rhetoric. Putin is an authoritarian leader with imperialist ambitions not just on Ukraine but on the entire region, and that’s why the entire world must oppose this Russian aggression and stand by Ukraine." This is what Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said while speaking to journalists in Melbourne after the "Coalition of the Willing" appeal on Ukraine. He reiterated his commitment to supporting peacekeeping efforts. Albanese stated that the international community must continue to pressure Russia to reach a ceasefire agreement. He also affirmed that Australia's offer to deploy troops in peacekeeping efforts remains on the table, but a ceasefire must first be achieved. "To achieve peace, Russia must first agree to a ceasefire, but it must also agree to stop its aggression against Ukraine," he said.