Russian Tourists Will Not Be Banned From Visiting Australia: Defence Minister

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles attends a joint press conference with France's defence minister at the castle of Brest, western France, on Sept. 1, 2022. (Jean-Francois Monier/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia has rejected Ukraine’s call to stop Russian tourists from entering the country.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia’s sanctions were focused on the Russian government, “not the Russian people themselves.”

“This is not something we are considering at the moment but we are very much a part of the global base of sanctions against the Russian regime,” he told the ABC on Sunday.

It comes after Vasyl Myroshnychenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, called on the government to “ban the issuance” of Russian tourist visas but continue issuing refugee visas for those fleeing Russia.

In a post on Twitter, Myroshnychenko claimed that a majority of the Russian people supported the war in Ukraine and therefore must be held accountable.

The leaders of Estonia and Finland have already restricted Russians from traveling into their countries and want fellow European countries to follow suit.

In a Washington Post interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked all Western countries to ban Russian tourists from entering their country.

While Marles ruled out the banning of Russian travellers, he said Australia was considering sending further military aid to Ukraine.

“We do need to be preparing ourselves for protracted conflict and on that basis, we get that we are going to need to provide support for Ukraine over the long term,” he said.

“We are looking at ways in which we can continue this.”

Marles said Australia’s objective was to support and empower Ukraine to resolve the conflict “on their terms.”

Australian Support for Ukraine as It Pushes Back Russia

Australia has committed approximately $388 million (US$260 million) in aid to the war effort in Ukraine, making it the one of the largest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine.

This includes 60 Bushmaster military vehicles, 28 armoured vehicles, six lightweight howitzers, and unmanned aerial systems.

The Ukrainian government said on Sept. 13 that it aimed to take back all of its territories after pushing back Russian forces in the northeastern portion of the country in a rapid offensive.

Zelenskyy said in a video address that Ukraine required further weapons systems from the West to “strengthen cooperation to defeat” Russian forces in the country.

Marles said the way the unanimity in which the world reacted to Russia had been “very impressive.”

He added that if Beijing plans to move into Taiwan, it should note the “incredible resistance” of people who fight for their homeland as seen in the war in Ukraine.

“Well, China I’m sure is watching this, as we all are,” he said.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.