On 25 November, the AFUO and Yury Sak, Adviser to the Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, held meetings with key Members of Parliament (MPs) and their advisers at Parliament House in Canberra. 
The meetings were held in tandem with Ukrainian Christmas carolling in Parliament House and were an opportunity to thank MPs for their support of Ukraine. MPs were presented with a Ukrainian Christmas gift and a card which, when opened, joyfully played “Shchedryk/Carol of the Bells”.
Subjects raised in the meetings included:
The need for more military aid for Ukraine, including armoured vehicles, Tiger helicopters, drones
General humanitarian aid, including mental health support and de-mining equipment
International developments such as the US election and the implications for the Asia-Pacific region of North Korean troops being deployed to fight in Russia’s war
Re-opening the Australian Embassy in Kyiv
AFUO Co-Chair, Kateryna Argyrou, also reported about her trip to Ukraine.
Meetings were held with Senator David Fawcett, Senator Simon Birmingham, Senator Deborah O’Neill and Senator Jacqui Lambie, and the offices of the Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP, Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong – Senator for SA, the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, the Minister for Disability Services, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, the Opposition Leader, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, and Senator James Paterson.
With the support of these MPs and others, we will continue to advocate that it is in Australia’s interests to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and in defence of our shared values.
It is also the right thing to do. 
#AFUO_in_Action #AFUO #StandWithUkraine
