The committee recommends the Australian Government publicly attribute the role that the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) are playing in supporting Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, and ensure Australia’s foreign policy settings reflect the reality of the cooperation of these four authoritarian states in sustaining the war and risking further conflicts in other parts of the world.

Government Response to Recommendation 10

The Government agrees to this recommendation.

The Government has consistently conveyed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a fundamental breach of international law, including the UN Charter, and has called for all countries to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace on Ukraine’s terms.

The Government has joined our like-minded partners to publicly express its deep concern that some countries, including North Korea and Iran, as well as Belarus, are directly supporting Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine. Working with our partners, the Government has imposed sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the supply of military goods and services to Russia from North Korea, Iran and Belarus.

The Government has raised with China our concern about dual-use goods exports to Russia. The Government has publicly called on China to refrain from helping Russia continue its war in any way, including to cease support to Russia’s defence industrial base, including in joint statements with the United Kingdom and United States. The Government continues to look to China, which has a special responsibility as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, to use its influence to end Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war in Ukraine.

Australia joined likeminded and NATO partners to express concern with deepening Russia-DPRK military cooperation in June, July, November and December 2024. Additionally, in joint statements following 2024 ministerial meetings with the United States, New Zealand, the ROK, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, Australia raised its concern with Russia-DPRK cooperation, and called on China to use its influence with Russia to help end the war. Australia has also condemned Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its ongoing aggression against Ukraine in August, October, December 2024. The Government has used, and will continue to use, all tools at its disposal to raise its concerns and impose costs on countries that support Russia’s illegal war. This includes ministerial communications and speeches, joint statements with like-minded partners, bilateral engagement, pressure in multilateral settings, sanctions and trade measures when it is in our national interest to do so.