Shadow Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister James Paterson has criticised the Albanese government for taking its time to reopen Australia's embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.
It comes as Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong revealed plans for Australia to reopen its embassy in Kyiv after its closure in 2022 following Russia's invasion.
“It's frankly far too late. And this is another important international relationship that the Albanese government and Penny Wong have mismanaged,” Mr Paterson told News Australia.
Mr Paterson argued the embassy should have been reopened immediately after it became apparent that Ukraine was able to repel Russia's initial invasion and maintain control over Kyiv.
“It should not have taken this long. We're now well behind our allies and friends, over 70 of whom have reopened their embassies in Kyiv,” he said.
