Australia has a mature relationship with Russia that allows us to confront our differences directly when necessary but work constructively where our interests intersect.
Australia has worked with our partners to support Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its actions. International unity has underpinned the effective response to Russia's invasion. Contact between Australia and Russia began in 1807, when the Russian naval vessel Neva arrived in Sydney.
Diplomatic ties
On 26 December 1991, Australia recognised the Russian Federation as the successor state of the Soviet Union after the dissolution of the latter. Russia has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney, and Australia has an embassy in Moscow.
Australia imposes autonomous sanctions in relation to Russia in response to the Russian threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Similarly, a 2017 opinion poll by the Moscow-based non-governmental think tank Levada-Center states that Russians identified India as one of their top five "friends", with the others being Belarus, China, Kazakhstan and Syria.
Their bromance began with vodka and sandwiches a decade ago. Now China's president is visiting Putin after a year of war.
We are proud to stand with Ukraine as it defends its people, its territory, and its sovereignty. Today, on this most sombre occasion, the Australian Government is announcing additional military assistance to Ukraine and further costs on Russia, including additional sanctions.
This shows that Russia's economy is equivalent to US$4.4 trillion while Australia's measure is unchanged at US$1.4 trillion. Russians are still much poorer than Australians—their purchasing power per person is US$29,600 compared with Australians' US$53,400.
Australia again calls on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory and end this war. Quotes attributable to the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “Australia stands with Ukraine. We pay tribute to the unwavering resilience and courage displayed by the Ukrainian people.”
Since that time, United States has been the most important security ally. The close security relationship with the United States was formalized in 1951 by the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements.
Today, Australia enjoys bilateral security relationships with both New Zealand and the US under ANZUS. The treaty, while not formally revoked after the US- New Zealand nuclear dispute, no longer fully exists in practice.
The nation holds a PwrIndx* score of 0.2567 (a score of 0.0000 is considered 'perfect'). This entry last reviewed on 01/05/2023.
After establishing diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1972, Australia established an embassy in Beijing in 1973. The Australia-China bilateral relationship is based on strong economic and trade complementarities and longstanding community and cultural links.
Australia is even referred to as a "de facto member of NATO". Australia is referred to by NATO as one of their "partners across the globe", agreeing to work on crisis and conflict management, post-conflict situations, reconstruction and facilitating humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Australia has plentiful supplies of natural resources, including the second largest accessible reserves of iron ore in the world, the fifth largest reserves of coal and significant gas resources. For a long time, commodities have made up a sizeable share of our exports.
Australia is a highly developed country with a mixed economy. As of 2023, Australia was the 13th-largest national economy by nominal GDP (gross domestic product), the 19th-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP, and was the 20th-largest goods exporter and 24th-largest goods importer.
Australians are the richest people in the world, with a median wealth three times that of the average American, a new report has shown.
Countries supporting Russia in the war with Ukraine
Other Russian Supporting Countries in the war with Ukraine are Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Kyrgyzstan.
Australia is a vital ally, partner, and friend of the United States. The United States and Australia maintain a robust relationship underpinned by shared democratic values, common interests, and cultural affinities.
Australia and New Zealand are not members of NATO because they are not located in the North Atlantic region, which is the geographic area that NATO was established to defend. NATO was formed in 1949 as a mutual defense alliance between the United States, Canada, and several European countries.
China has become an increasingly important trading partner for Russia as it seeks to soften the impact of economic sanctions imposed by some countries in response to its invasion.
China and Russia are each other's biggest neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner of coordination. We are both major countries in the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council. Both countries uphold an independent foreign policy and see our relationship as a high priority in our diplomacy.
TAIPEI — Chinese leader Xi Jinping made his most direct criticism yet of Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine on Friday, warning the Russian president not to resort to nuclear weapons and calling on visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to push for peace talks.
The states that recognise the ROC (12 UN members and the Holy See as of 26 March 2023) regard it as the sole legitimate government of China and therefore do not recognise the PRC. Bhutan is the only UN member state that has never explicitly recognised either the PRC or the ROC.