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Ukraine is calling on Australia to consider providing coal and energy infrastructure such as generators and transformers as missile strikes continue to cause widespread blackouts amid the war with Russia.
- The request follows a meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the ASEAN Summit
- Australia donated about 70,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine earlier this year
- Ukraine's Ambassador says Australia's help keep hospitals and water treatments plants operating would be "invaluable"
Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko said the request followed a "positive discussion" between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.
"It shows the mateship of Australia and Ukraine in standing up for democracy and sovereignty against autocracy and illegality," Mr Myroshnychenko said.
"Ukraine really needs the mateship now."
He said the "humanitarian situation" in Ukraine became "catastrophic" over the weekend with multiple missile attacks causing damage to more than 40 per cent of the country's energy system.
"This led to blackouts all over Ukraine and big problems with heating, water supply and waste disposal," he said.
Earlier this year, the federal government donated a shipment of about 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to the Ukrainian government, after a request for supplies to keep coal-fired power generators operating.
The government bought the coal from resources company Whitehaven and covered the expense of shipping it to Poland.
Mr Myroshnychenko said another shipment would be "invaluable" to Ukraine.
"While Ukrainians are determined to survive this hard winter, and while our troops are making advances on the battlefield, the additional support we request from Australia would have lifesaving impact," he said.
"It [Australia] is also a great engineering nation, and can help us with generators, to keep essential services like hospitals and water treatments plants going, and via transformers to restore the overall system."
Mr Myroshnychenko said he hoped to also hold discussions with state governments which may be in a position to provide aid.
"A return to peace takes the pressure off cost-of-living here and creates opportunities for Australian business in the rebuilding of Ukraine, where Australia is now immensely and rightfully respected," he said.