Myroshnychenko said he was concerned the Greens' position "does not appear to distinguish between offensive wars of choice, aggression and territorial expansion versus wars of desperate defence and national survival." Pointing to Russia's socially conservative policies, he said: "I cannot believe, then, that the Greens actively seek an outcome where President Putin's policies are imposed on Ukrainian society."
The ambassador noted that Ukraine had surrendered its nuclear weapons and never engaged in military adventurism, in line with Greens principles, yet Russia launched an unprovoked invasion. "Ukraine cannot survive or defend itself without meaningful collective security support from other democracies," he said.
Shoebridge, who became Greens leader recently, told this masthead the party does not support Australia sending weapons and other military equipment to Ukraine. He said Australia should not provide direct military assistance unless the United Nations Security Council backed such transfers, a move Russia could veto as a permanent council member.
Labor and the Coalition have criticised the Greens' stance as naive and argued it would help Putin. The Ukrainian-Australian community body is seeking an urgent meeting with Shoebridge to express its concerns.