Russia Threatens “Grave Consequences” If Australia Joins Ukraine Peacekeeping Effort

According to The Guardian on March 10, Russia has issued a warning to Australia over potential involvement in an international peacekeeping initiative in Ukraine.

The Russian embassy in Australia stated that any deployment of Australian troops as part of a “coalition of the willing” would lead to “grave consequences.”

The Australian government is reportedly considering a proposal, introduced by European leaders, to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine. This initiative aims to enforce any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.

However, Russia has strongly opposed such plans, reiterating its stance that foreign military presence in Ukraine is “totally unacceptable.”

A statement from the Russian embassy, initially reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, criticized Australia for “remaining firmly on the side of war, alongside European nations that continue to escalate the war despite indications of progress in peace negotiations.” The embassy further claimed that the presence of Western forces under the designation of peacekeepers would “undermine peace efforts.”

“For Australia, joining the so-called coalition of the willing would entail grave consequences. Once again, Western boots on the ground are unacceptable for Russia, and we will not remain passive observers,” the statement read.

The embassy also insisted that this message should not be interpreted as a threat, describing it instead as a “warning.” It stated that Russia has “no intention to harm Australians” but suggested that Canberra could “easily avoid trouble by refraining from irresponsible adventurism in the zone of the special military operation.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed the country’s support for Ukraine, emphasizing that Australia has played an important role in previous peacekeeping operations.

“There’s discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping, and from my government’s perspective, we’re open to consideration of any proposals going forward,” he said last week. However, he also noted that Australia had not yet received a formal request to contribute troops.

A spokesperson for the Australian government clarified that “the deployment of Australian troops to support peacekeeping forces in Ukraine is not under consideration at this time.” Additionally, Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy stated that such a commitment is “not being envisaged.”

The proposed peacekeeping initiative was introduced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who suggested deploying 30,000 troops from European nations in the event of a ceasefire. He emphasized that “the UK is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others,” calling on Europe to take the lead in ensuring stability in the region.