Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand

02/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/23/2026 17:44

New Zealand announces more support for Ukraine, sanctions on Russia

News: 24 February 2026

New Zealand will provide $8 million in new assistance for Ukraine and implement additional sanctions targeting Russia's war machine, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.

"Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion, now entering its fifth year, has devastated Ukraine, destabilised Europe and impacted the security of our own region," Mr Peters says.

"Russia's relentless bombardment of civilian infrastructure this winter has hit Ukraine's people hard, and this assistance demonstrates New Zealand's continued solidarity.

"These contributions will help address urgent needs as a result of Russia's brutal winter attacks on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure."

New Zealand will provide $5 million in humanitarian assistance to international aid partners supporting Ukrainian civilians badly affected by the war.

This brings New Zealand's total humanitarian assistance to Ukraine to $45 million over the past four years.

A further $3 million will go to the World Bank-administered Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund, which supports energy resilience and reconstruction.

New Zealand is also implementing its 34th round of sanctions against Russia.

New measures include lowering the price cap on Russian crude oil and sanctioning 100 shadow fleet vessels.

"These are calculated steps to curtail crucial oil revenues fuelling Putin's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," Mr Peters says.

New Zealand has also sanctioned actors from Belarus, Iran, and North Korea, alongside alternative payment providers, malicious cyber actors, and those supporting Russia's military-industrial complex.

More information about sanctions, travel bans, and export controls against Russia, as well as diplomatic, military and economic support to Ukraine, can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

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