New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon open to sending peacekeeping troops into Ukraine
New Zealand is open to sending a peacekeeping force to Ukraine, as world leaders scramble to assess options following US President Donald Trump’s new approach to Russia.
Mr Trump is canvassing possible routes to peace in eastern Europe while foreshadowing a pullback of American assistance.
This approach has met with alarm in Europe, where leaders held a crisis summit in Paris overnight, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declaring he would offer up British troops to keep the peace, should a ceasefire deal be reached.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.A world away in New Zealand, Prime Minister Chris Luxon said he “would be open” to the same.
“There’s no doubt about it. We really much stand with Ukraine,” he told Radio NZ.
“We’re a long way away from this theatre of war but for me, this is a values thing.
“(Ukraine) is a small sovereign nation-state that has been hit by an illegal war from a very big power and that’s unacceptable.”
New Zealand has levied extensive sanctions on Russia since its 2022 invasion, and, according to the Kiel Institute’s Ukraine Support tracker, given 59 million euros (A$97 million) worth of military and humanitarian aid.
It has also sent troops to the UK to assist British troops with training Ukrainian fighters.
Until now, Western powers have not countenanced putting troops in Ukraine, however the American shift makes possible a power vacuum in the conflict, necessitating thinking on future plans.
Mr Luxon, a conservative leader who lived in the United States during Barack Obama’s presidency, has sought closer ties with the US since coming to power in 2023.
New Zealand is a staunch defender in the rules-based order which is under threat from Mr Trump’s radical thinking on foreign affairs.
Mr Luxon did not criticise the new American approach directly but said, “what I am concerned about is we’re seeing a shift from rules to power”.
In coming to power, Mr Luxon pledged to lift defence spending but is yet to do so, deferring a much-anticipated capability plan by over a year.
That plan is likely to surface before the May budget, with Mr Luxon indicating support from all three of his government’s coalition partners.
“We will be spending more on defence. We will be getting as close to two per cent as we possibly can,” he said.
