Scott Morrison has been asked to explain on national television why Australians should care about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Prime Minister joined the United States, United Kingdom and European Union nations in announcing a suite of sanctions against Russia, after it began its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Mr Morrison said on Wednesday that Australia would stand up to “bullies and thugs”, but during a round of media appearances on Thursday was asked to further justify the move.
Sunrise host David Koch asked the Prime Minister: “Explain to Australians why we should care. Most Australians could not find Ukraine on a map – it is not in our backyard. Why do we need to take a tougher stance?”
Mr Morrison responded by explaining this was about “the sovereignty” of Ukraine.
“We have got a very large country in Russia which is bullying and threatening its neighbour and telling them the decisions that they have to make,” Mr Morrison said.
“This is not how the world should work. This is not how the rule of law and international law can work.
“Ukraine itself is not a member of NATO, but even so, when you have a country that is bullying and seeking to use force and threats of violence to get its own way against another country, that is not something that Australia could ever support.”
Mr Morrison warned that while Russia was unlikely to respond with traditional methods of force, cyberattacks were possible.
Australia has imxjmtzywposed sanctions against eight high-profile Russians with close ties to President Vladimir Putin, as well as on a number of key industries and five Russian banks.
Mr Morrison said the aim of the sanctions was to target those benefiting from Mr Putin’s “aggressive and autocratic” regime.
“(This) ensures that we can freeze their assets, they cannot move money around, and those who benefit of Russia and support the regime in doing that … we cannot have them able to go around and move their money and go shopping at Harrods and other places around the world and travelling in and out of countries and operating their businesses,” Mr Morrison said.
“We have no quarrel with the people of Russia … this is not about (them), but an autocratic government bullying others.
“Those who support that regime cannot be enabled to go about their lives and move around the world doing their business and profiting from that violence.”
