The heavily fortified Bushmaster vehicles will be used to transport soldiers and civilians in the war zone – they won’t be used for offensive attacks.

Zelensky delivered a video address to Australia’s parliament last week – the 20th nation he spoke to – thanking the country for its steadfast support so far.

Australia has committed over A$190m (£108m; $142m) in military and humanitarian aid and enacted several sanctions on Russian individuals and oil imports.

“Mr President, the people of Australia stand with Ukraine in your fight for survival,” said Prime Minister Scott Morrison in response to Zelensky last week.

The Australian leader has repeatedly declared that liberal democracies must band together to defend freedom and “the right to live free of coercion, intimidation and the brute fist of force”.

He said Australia honoured Zelensky as a “lion of democracy”.