Greens leader embarrassed by Russian ambassador’s presence at National Press Club

Greens leader David Shoebridge has been embarrassed by the attendance of the Russian ambassador at his inaugural National Press Club address in which he doubled down on calls to deny Ukraine military aid – a policy critics say is pro-Kremlin.

Senator Shoebridge, who says he did not invite Mikhail Petrakov to the event, said the Greens party room stood for “peace and non-violence” but was “rock solid” in its support for the people in Ukraine.

“We 100 per cent rock solid support the people of Ukraine to resist the illegal and immoral war,” the Greens leader told the Press Club.   

“Rock solid support, for their struggle against an illegal invasion by Russia, rock solid support for humanitarian and direct financial support to the people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine.

“And we also support the firmest, clearest, most unambiguous sanctions against the state of Russia. Russia’s invasion is illegal, it’s immoral, and it is wrong.”

But when challenged by Nine News as to why the Greens’ support doesn’t extend to giving Ukraine military aid, he said the Greens “hold true to our pillar of peace and non-violence”.

Senator Shoebridge said he did not know Petrakov was listening to his speech.

“100 per cent not welcome, 100 per cent not invited, I don’t want him here” he told Nine News.

Ukraine’s ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko, who has been lobbying Senator Shoebridge to change his foreign policy on military aid, was outraged by Petrakov’s attendance.

“I just find it really appalling that he actually shows up there. But I mean, in this particular case, I believe he feels quite comfortable coming to Senator Shoebridge’s presentation,” he said.

“No military aid to Ukraine aligns with the priorities of Russia.”

He said the Greens in Germany supported giving Ukraine military aid and that the Australian Greens should follow suit.

Labor and the Coalition have both heavily criticised the Greens for their Ukraine aid policy.

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Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil said: “The first policy pronouncement of the leader of the Greens political party was to say that he does not and will not support our military aid to the brave people of Ukraine over $1.8 billion — the only person that helps is Vladimir Putin.”

“I would hope that he would reconsider and support the military aid that we've provided to Ukraine because the international community support is the only thing that's keeping Ukraine alive in this war.”

Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson said: “I’m not surprised the Russian ambassador was in attendance for David Shoebridge’s speech because he would have liked what he was going to hear.

“The Greens foreign policy under David Shoebridge is Putin-friendly. He wants to hand a veto over Australia's defence assistance for Ukraine to Vladimir Putin through the United Nations Security Council.”

There has been tension inside the Greens over the Ukraine policy, with Senator Sarah Hanson-Young at odds with her new leader.

“I think we need to be doing everything we can to support the people in Ukraine,” she told the ABC’s 7.30.

“If (military aid) is the support that people need in order to defend themselves from the invasion of Russia, I think Australians need to support that.

“You can’t allow people to be left fending for themselves.”

Senator Paterson commended Senator Hanson-Young’s stance.

“It's to Sarah Hanson Young's great credit that she's gone public with her discomfort with David Shoebridge's Vladimir Putin-endorsed foreign policy.”