Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister

Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have announced a new $16 million package of support for Ukraine ahead of this week’s NATO Summit in the Hague.

“New Zealand stands in solidarity with Ukraine. Its war of self-defence is well into its fourth year and our condemnation of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion remains undiminished,” Mr Luxon says.

New Zealand’s will make $4 million contributions to two multi-national funds providing lethal and non-lethal military assistance for Ukraine: the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) fund; and the United Kingdom and Latvia-led Drone Coalition for Ukraine.

“The defence of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of the Euro-Atlantic, but also for the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.

“We must continue to work with others in the international community to uphold a rules-based order that serves all our interests.”

New Zealand will also provide $7 million in further humanitarian assistance for conflict affected communities in Ukraine, and $1 million for Ukrainians displaced in neighbouring countries.

“The scale of need remains vast, as Russia continues its bombardment of densely populated civilian areas of Ukraine,” Mr Luxon says.

This support package follows the recently announced sanctions targeting Russia’s “shadow fleet” and other enablers of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“It is vital the international community maintains pressure on Russia to end its war and engage meaningfully with efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Mr Peters says.

More information about diplomatic, military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine, as well as sanctions, travel bans, and export controls against Russia, can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website here.

Notes:

The Government has implemented the following actions in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine:

· Passed the historic Russia Sanctions Act under which we have implemented sanctions targeting:

o Vladimir Putin and key members of his inner circle.

o Senior leadership of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

o All 620 members of the Russian parliament (State Duma and Federation Council).

o All Russian Ministers and Governors.

o More than 400 entities including state-owned enterprises, entities that are part of Russia’s military industrial complex, Donbas militia groups, and Belarusian defence entities.

o More than 110 oligarchs and immediate family with close ties and influence with the Russian Government.

o 20 financial institutions, including Russia’s Central Bank

o 7 Belarusian financial institutions.

o 56 individuals and entities involved in disinformation and cyber-attacks on Ukraine.

o 15 members of the Central Election Commission.

o Almost 100 Russian-directed leaders in occupied Ukrainian regions.

o The Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.

o 23 Iranian individuals and 17 Iranian entities for supplying drones to Russia.

o Individuals and entities involved in the supply of DPRK military materiel to Russia for use in Ukraine.

· Banned all Russian and Belarusian Government and military aircraft and vessels from New Zealand.

· Banned exports to Russian and Belarusian military and security forces.

· Suspended bilateral Foreign Ministry Consultations with Russia.

· Endorsed the UK-initiated Call to Action on the “shadow fleet” engaged in sanctions circumvention by carrying Russian oil and gas. The Call to Action promotes compliance with international standards for maritime safety, environmental protection, and insurance.

Trade measures

· Implemented a 35% tariff on all Russian imports to New Zealand.

· Banned the import of Russian gold into New Zealand.

· Significantly expanded the export ban on Russia and Belarus to cover more industrial products of strategic importance (by adding more than 700 new prohibited tariff lines).

· Banned the import of Russian oil, gas, and coal.

· Banned the export of oil exploration and oil production goods to Russia.

· Banned the import from and export to Russia of certain luxury goods.

· Implemented the G7-plus oil price cap on Russian-origin oil.

Other assistance to Ukraine

· Since the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, New Zealand has pledged over $168 million in financial assistance and in-kind support to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion. That includes:

o support for military training, equipment, and materiel valued at $110.3 million, including up to 100 NZDF personnel deployed to Europe.

o $39.9 million in humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected Ukrainian communities in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries.

o $6 million in support for recovery and reconstruction.

o $5.2 million in support for international legal processes and human rights monitoring.

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