Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We see today that the conflict in the Ukraine could grow into something far more serious. Yesterday we saw the special forces of the Ukraine take over Kramatorsk Airport, having to recover it from the separatists. We saw the Russian separatists commandeering five armoured vehicles and a tank. All of this, including the fact that people were killed in the conflict yesterday, could lead to a fairly serious conflagration there. I share some of the reservations of others. It was a real pity that the agreement of 21 February was not followed through. It was accepted and then, obviously, rejected. If that agreement had been implemented it would have allowed a more cohesive and peaceful evolution of the democratic process in Ukraine. The overthrow of Yanukovych having been agreed raised questions. Also, I thought the European Union should have passed some condemnatory comments on peaceful protests becoming a form of anarchy when buildings were taken over, occupied and burned. That type of violence should have no part in peaceful protests. There is a line beyond which protests can evolve after which they need to be rejected as not being in line with the fundamental freedoms of proper civilian protest. Unfortunately, that happened in Kiev.

The West was quick to recognise Kosovo. I was one of the few voices in the House who felt we should have been far more cautious in that regard. We have put ourselves in a position in which we have given justification to Putin or anybody else who has this attitude to invade and take over parts of countries or to declare independence of part of countries. We have created an situation in which it is difficult to be consistent in our arguments. In fact, I could include Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. Britain has no legitimacy there. If we recognise British legitimacy in Northern Ireland, we are saying with regard to Crimea that it is not okay now but in a number of years it will be okay. The same happened in South Ossetia in Georgia, which was invaded and ceded. There are a number of areas of conflict. There is the threat to Moldova. There are significant Russian populations in the Baltic states. As this has wider implications, a more nuanced and prudent approach should have been taken.

In regard to the sanctions that are being imposed, I share some of the reservations that people have mentioned. I am unsure about how effective they will be. I see the need for us to do something. Any consequent decline of the Russian economy will have implications for Putin, and that might in some way encourage dialogue. It would be a pity if we ended up compromising on some of the actions we can take because of Europe's dependency on, for example, Russian gas.

There is a need to intensify the negotiations which have started in Geneva with the European Union, the US, Ukraine and Russia to try to find a solution which, hopefully, maintains the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Moreover, it is to be hoped that lessons will have been learned from this and other such episodes in order that in future, a more enlightened approach will be taken from the onset of such issues, rather than trying to retrieve the situation after mistakes have been made on the diplomatic international scene at an earlier stage that only contributed to exacerbating the situation, rather than to finding solutions.