Australia needs to act the middle power that it is and have control over its sovereignty, warns a defence leader who says the nation's critical capabilities would be challenged in a war.
Countries had to have access to resources such as fuel and munitions during a conflict with the federal government working hard to catch up, Navy reservist Rear Admiral Lee Goddard said.
"Like all nations, we would be challenged in being as sustainable as we would need to be," he told ABC's RN on Wednesday.
"Geostrategic events, including Ukraine, have demonstrated that in recent times.
"I think while we have a positive baseline, more needs to be done."
Asked about the balance between self-sufficiency and relying on allies for the nation defend itself, Rear Admiral Goddard said Australia was a middle power and needed to act like one.
"We need to have control of our own destiny, and we need to have control of the things that we need," he said.
"There are some things that we need to be in partnership. But clearly there are some things that we need to do here in Australia to ensure that we have control.
"We do not want to be caught out."
Australia's support for Ukraine will exceed more than $1.5 billion in aid since Russia's invasion almost three years ago.
This has included gifting Bushmaster vehicles, in addition to money for the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, providing heat and electricity for civilians.
The number of casualties being reported were "extraordinary", ADF Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones said
"Coming into the third year of the conflict, the frontline has not moved a lot," he said.
"The deployment of North Korean troops to fight alongside Russian forces was a dangerous escalation of this conflict, which will continue to evolve in 2025.
"We should be concerned that a regional actor is providing resources to an utterly illegal and immoral war in the 21st century."
Vice Admiral Jones said the Australian Defence Force was getting "enormous benefit" from the lessons out of Operation Kudu - Australia's commitment to the training of Ukrainian recruits in the UK.
"As confronting as it can be, we benefit from the exposure," he said.
"Our personnel get insight into what it’s like, they bring that back and they spread those lessons and insights through informal networks, and formally through training and education across the ADF."
