Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 15 March 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

Ukraine's Application for Membership of the European Union: Engagement with Ambassador of Ukraine.

Photo of Vincent P MartinVincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

These are unprecedented times. It is a tiny symbolic gesture but the Vice Chairman, with the support of us all, has torn up the rule book to allow us to finish this debate, which is most unusual. It also is most unusual that every member of this committee, including the Vice Chairman, is wearing the colours of Ukraine. There is no neutrality here. The question is how we can best help the ambassador's country in the most difficult of circumstances. I regret to say that I just do not see a solution in sight any day soon. I hope I am wrong.

A former Minister for Defence, and Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter, intellectualised the debate yesterday in an article in which he said that the West must "call Putin's bluff" and impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. I do not necessarily agree with that but I welcome contrarian views. Let us tease them out and have the discussion. Mr. Shatter's argument is, at least, a different view. In the absence of a solution, we, as democrats, could trigger a solution around the world by reminding people of what is in store. If NATO does not get involved, the ambassador's country - I hate saying this - will be left unprotected and facing a far bigger army. Despite the great morale of her country, this man cannot be trusted. Chemical weapons could be used and the country could be razed to the ground and obliterated as the rest of the world stands idly by. After that, Putin has an open book to do the same to any country. It is a double ace card and God help any such country if is not in the EU and not in NATO.

We must keep reminding ourselves of the cost of what is about to happen. As Senator Doherty said, sanctions are not enough and clearly are not working fast enough. People are dying and hundreds of thousands more could die. Senior people in the EU said yesterday that we must be careful the sanctions do not hurt us more than they do Russia. I do not agree with that. Provided we protect hospitals, essential services, schools and the vulnerable, people in Europe are willing to take pain. Whatever it means, people in good health are willing to suffer and take a tiny bit of pain that is not all commensurate with what the people of Ukraine are suffering. We need to work on that basis.

President Biden may announce on Thursday that he is coming to Ireland. If he does, would it be possible for a delegation from this committee to speak to him when he is in Leinster House and lean on him, as the so-called leader of the free world, to do more? He is a man I respect but he made a mistake at the start by more or less giving Putin carte blanche. Anyone can make a mistake and that is what he did when he said the US would not get involved in this war. He changed his tune a little afterwards. He is a decent, good man and Ireland is very well connected with him. Perhaps we can use that connection to help the ambassador.

I was very proud of my fellow parliamentarians across the water when they gave President Zelenskyy a standing ovation in the House of Commons. It is a small thing and I know he is very busy but would it be possible for Mr. Zelenskyy to give a short address to a joint meeting of the two Houses of the Oireachtas, in our capacity as a UN member? NATO is not doing the work and perhaps we need neutral countries to step up in other ways. An Oireachtas address could be a trigger whereby President Zelenskyy, and the world, would see another standing ovation. We must do more. I feel powerless that there is not enough we can do.

There is an important point I want to put on the record. In every debate in which I take part, we differentiate between the decent people of Russia and Belarus and that man who is in charge at the moment. I thank a modern-day Countess Markievicz, namely, Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One in Russia, whom I hope and pray we will see again alive. What she did yesterday was inspiring.

There is not much we can do but we should, when we go into private session, do our best to get an answer for the ambassador as to why only ten countries have signed the joint EU perspective on Ukraine's accession. Unfortunately, Ireland is not one and it is in good company, which is auspicious by the absence of other, large member states. What is causing that blockage? Is it that moving on it could provoke Mr. Putin? Surely things could not be any worse than they are at the moment. Acting on this might have saved Ukraine and given it some protection. It should not have taken an invasion but we owe it to the ambassador and her country to drill down and get to the bottom of this. I have asked the question on a number of occasion and I still do not know the answer. I accept that it is extremely difficult to get into the EU. It is a testing and challenging matter but we could, at the very least, psychologically nudge Ukraine's application forward.

In another small gesture, Senator Keogan, at short notice, put on a wonderful fundraiser in the Houses of Oireachtas last week. I never saw so many ambassadors in attendance, including Ms Gerasko as guest speaker. I assure her she is not on her own. We will do our best to work out, in a very tight situation and with our backs against the wall, how we can do more as a country that may be militarily neutral but is not politically neutral. The militarily neutral countries need to push and persuade other countries and Ireland has a great track record in that regard. We have household names in the world of peacebuilding, including Lord Trimble, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Bertie Ahern, Gerry Adams, Liz O'Donnell and Professor Monica McWilliams. Have we, as a country, something to offer in stopping this abyss from happening.

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