Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended a decision not to supply Ukraine with Bushmaster and Hawkei vehicles in the government's latest military assistance package.
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While the package totalled $110 million and featured 70 military vehicles, equipment such as Hawkeis requested by Ukraine was not included.
Mr Albanese said Australia was continuing to send equipment, having already provided $790m in military assistance since the invasion of Ukraine.
"It doesn't (help) ... to send them a piece of equipment that will not provide for the best assistance," he told ABC Radio.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said while the package did not offer Hawkeis, the equipment would make an impact.
"We do feel there were issues around Hawkeis, which is hard to go into publicly," he told ABC Radio.
"We took the Ukrainians through what we believed were the issues there and what we wanted to do was make sure the equipment we were giving to Ukraine would make a difference for them on the battlefield."
A Senate committee in May heard an issue with the vehicle's braking system meant it would not achieve "full operating capability" until mid-2024 and no root cause had yet been identified.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton hit out at the military aid package, saying Hawkeis could have been made available.
"The Ukraine defence minister and the advisors there understand the vehicle very well," he told reporters in Perth.
"They've said that that vehicle will provide them with significant benefit in their fight against Russia - why not take their advice?
"If there are problems with the vehicle, then let it be sorted out and the Ukrainians no doubt are aware of that."
Mr Marles said Australia was still one of the largest contributors of military aid to Ukraine outside of NATO.
"We've made it clear to Ukraine that we will be standing with them for as long as it takes," he said.
Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, said he was reassured by the commitment to continue supporting his nation.
But he hoped future assistance would include Hawkeis and Bushmasters.
"I remain optimistic these items will be included in our forthcoming packages, especially Bushmasters, (which) have really demonstrated their efficiency in Ukraine," he told Sky News.
The ambassador said despite recent unrest in Russia, the conflict in Ukraine showed no signs of slowing and more military support from Australia was needed.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is weak, so I think that's the beginning of the end of his regime and that was just one of the first signs of it," Mr Myroshnychenko said.
Australian Associated Press
