On 31 July 2025, the AFUO visited Parliament House in Canberra for a series of high-level meetings as the new session of Parliament commenced.
Led by AFUO Chair, Kateryna Argyrou, and joined by Andrew Mencinsky (President, Ukrainian Council of NSW – ОУГ НПВ) and Nadia Mencinsky (AFUO Communications Manager), meetings were held with MPs, Senators and their senior advisers:
Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong – Senator for SA Office of the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King MP Office of the Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland MP Office of Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Michaelia Cash Office of Shadow Defence Minister, Angus Taylor MP Senator Maria Kovacic, Senator Dean Smith and Matt Gregg MP
The delegation also visited the Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia, HE Vasyl Myroshnychenko, to provide a short briefing on AFUO’s current advocacy priorities and reinforce our strong, ongoing partnership.
Key priorities discussed included:
Ongoing military aid to Ukraine — especially critical as russia escalates its horrific air attacks on innocent civilians
The #StopFuellingrussiasWar campaign — calling on the Australian Government to close the sanctions loophole which allows the import of refined russian crude oil
Visa issues facing displaced Ukrainians — including uncertainty from the recent 786 visa offer, lack of permanent residency pathways, and unresolved issues (like the AoS exemption and NARWP for 804 visa holders)
The high public profile of the #StopFuellingrussiasWar campaign was clear — MPs and advisers confirmed they had received media queries, and Senator Fatima Payman even raised the issue in the Senate that very day.
The AFUO extended invitations to Ukrainian Independence Day events across Australia and raised the issue of closing the russian embassy, expelling russian diplomats, and banning the “Z” symbol with the office of the Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland MP.
A special thank you to the Friends of Ukraine Canberra-Queanbeyan, whose powerful protest supporting the AFUO’s #StopFuellingrussiasWar campaign on the front lawns of Parliament House – covered by Sky News – added strength to our message. See here:
We remain committed. We will continue to speak up, stand up, and advocate.
#StandWithUkraine #AFUO #StopFuellingRussiasWar #UkrainiansInAustralia #AusPol #UkraineAustralia #Canberra
