Ceasefire first call amid Ukraine peacekeeping push

The phone call was set up by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with leaders from Germany, Italy, New Zealand, the EU and Canada to also take part.

The dialogue comes after a conference of European leaders earlier in March on peace efforts in Ukraine.

Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko said it was too soon for discussion on whether Australia should join peacekeeping efforts.

"It's just too early to discuss it and debate it, because we are still too far from the moment when actually they could be deployed because we need to achieve a ceasefire," he told ABC TV.

"We don't yet see it coming, because the troops can be only deployed when once the hostilities end, and that may take a while."

Mr Albanese said there was large levels of support across democratic nations for Ukraine's efforts against Russia following the invasion in 2022.

"It's an illegal war. It's an immoral war, and it's one led by a Russian authoritarian dictator who has imperialistic designs, not just on Ukraine, but on the region," he said.

"This is a struggle for the Ukrainian people, but it's also a struggle for the rule of international law that is so important."

While there has been bipartisan support for Ukraine in Australia, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has dismissed the idea of sending Australian peacekeepers to Ukraine as a "thought bubble".

"The prime minister is wanting to commit thousands of our troops to go and serve in Europe. It doesn't make any sense," he said.

"Our job is to take care of our country and to make sure that we're safe in our region, and to keep peace in our region, we're going to have to invest in defence."

Mr Myroshnychenko said he was pleased the Australian prime minister was taking part in the talks with world leaders.

"What's important for me as an ambassador in Ukraine is to make sure that Australia continues supporting us on the military side, because your Bushmasters have been saving many lives," he said.