By NICK WILSON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 07:14 BST, 28 May 2025 | Updated: 08:15 BST, 28 May 2025

Ukraine’s top diplomat in Australia claims the two countries could become key players in controlling the world’s mineral resources once the war with Russia ends, but adds the threat of authoritarianism is ‘so close you cannot even imagine’. 

Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko addressed a University of Canberra event at the National Press Club on Monday night about what is at stake in the conflict. 

‘The reason we’re asking for support is because if we fall, you all will crumble,’ he said.

‘Let me tell you Australia, this war is next door. It’s so close you cannot even imagine.’

The ambassador’s comments come more than three years since Russia invaded  eastern Ukraine on February 24, 2022 to shore up its military assets in Crimea as Ukraine negotiated joining NATO. 

Ambassador Myroshnychenko, who is lobbying Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to visit Kyiv in June, on Monday reiterated his support for deeper economic ties between Australia and Ukraine. 

‘Australia should come and help Ukraine, help the European Union and I think we will all benefit from it because we should create an alliance of democracies in rare earth and critical minerals,’ he told the Canberra gathering on Monday. 

‘Autocracies are abusing their leverage globally, and we all democracies are now in the minority globally. 

Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko is pictured at the University of Canberra event on Monday night where he insisted democracy hung in the balance in his home country's war with Russia

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko is pictured at the University of Canberra event on Monday night where he insisted democracy hung in the balance in his home country’s war with Russia

Ambassador Myroshnychenko warned Australia it too would 'crumble' if Ukraine fell to Russia

Ambassador Myroshnychenko warned Australia it too would ‘crumble’ if Ukraine fell to Russia

‘You have great elections here, a very robust democracy in Australia, but don’t take it for granted. It could be taken away very easily.’

The threat to democracy was illustrated by what has happened in Ukraine, where the country has been under martial law since 2022, leading to the cancellation of elections since Volodymyr Zelensky won the presidential vote in 2019. 

Mr Myroshnychenko has represented Ukraine’s interests in Australia since he was appointed to the position in March 2022, less than a month after the war began. 

During his tenure, Australia has committed more than $1.5billion to the country’s war effort, including $1.3billion in military equipment and training.  

Mr Albanese promised to continue supporting Ukraine when he met with Mr Zelensky at new Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass earlier this month. 

He was invited to visit the war-torn country during the same meeting.   

The Ukrainian ambassador further welcomed the Albanese government’s plans to establish a critical minerals reserve – a move Mr Myroshnychenko said could help to reduce the global reliance on Chinese processing. 

China refines approximately 90 per cent of the world’s supply of rare earths and a commanding share of the world’s critical minerals – both of which are considered essential in supporting the energy transition, AI, high tech manufacturing and defence. 

Announced in April, the strategic reserve would earmark agreed volumes of critical minerals from commercial projects to bolster the government’s stockpile of the minerals and rare earths. 

Mr Myroshnychenko has urged Australia to deepen its economic ties with Ukraine in an effort to shore up the global supply of critical minerals and rare earths

Mr Myroshnychenko has urged Australia to deepen its economic ties with Ukraine in an effort to shore up the global supply of critical minerals and rare earths

Anthony Albanese is pictured alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Australia has committed more than $1.5billion to Ukraine under Mr Albanese's leadership

Anthony Albanese is pictured alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Australia has committed more than $1.5billion to Ukraine under Mr Albanese’s leadership

While the details of the plan have yet to be determined, the European Union’s ambassador to Australia Gabriele Visentin said on Monday the EU was watching the process ‘with interest’.  

Earlier this month, Kyiv signed a deal with Washington to establish a joint investment fund which will be partially capitalised by a natural resource extraction. 

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the fund would help Ukriane ‘attract global investment into our country’ and would help the nation to rebuild once the dust had settled on the ongoing conflict. 

‘The fund is a symbol of long-term strategic commitment. Together, Ukraine and the United States will invest in the recovery and growth of our country – on terms that protect our sovereignty and empower our future,’ she said. 

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Ukraine issues dire warning to Australia if Russia wins war: ‘So close you cannot imagine’

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