Mr. Oleksandr Merezhko:

I thank the committee and I express the most sincere and profound gratitude to the Irish people and the Irish Parliament. Ukraine feels their friendship and we know they firmly support us, that they are on our side, and are trying to help us to survive and fight against global evil which is trying to destroy global security and not only the European security architecture.

It would be a grave mistake to view this war as merely a local conflict or as the aggression of one country against another country. The truth is that we have entered a phase of what is called a global hybrid war. Today I had a conversation with a journalist who asked me, "Your colleagues in the West, do they understand, do they realise that Putin and Russia is waging war not only against Ukraine but the whole West?". It is called the "collective West" and Russia is waging war against Ireland, all democratic countries, and the free world.

The truth is that the situation is difficult and what we have now in Ukraine is only the first battle in this global war. Ukraine is fighting not only against Russia. We are talking about a collision of autocracies or authoritarian states which are trying to destroy Ukraine because they view us as a country that is fighting for democratic values, freedom and global security. Against us is not only Russia but Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and other authoritarian regimes. There is also a "big brother" standing behind these countries and waiting patiently and we do not know what his role is exactly. This is something which should be taken into consideration. This is a global hybrid war.

As for what is going on, there is the latest example of Russia using migrants as a weapon against Finland in the same way as it did against Lithuania and Poland. It is an example of how this is a global conflict. From what I see, Putin's tactics have changed. He is using three mechanisms. First, he is trying to divert the world's attention from Ukraine, which is why he is instigating, supporting and trying to provoke different kinds of conflicts all over the world. Today, we see it in the Middle East. There is a very strong link between Hamas and Russia. There has always been this link. Russia and Hamas are the same evil. They are the evil of terror because Russia was recognised officially by the Council of Europe as a terrorist regime.

It supported Hamas. It is the same evil. Russia will try to undermine stability in Europe by provoking conflicts in the Balkans, the Indo-Pacific region and all over the world. This is the first thing Russia is trying to do.

Second, Russia is trying to destroy us economically. Russia understands it cannot win this war against Ukraine militarily. That is why this is its goal. We should keep in mind its goal. It is not to invade part of the territory of Ukraine and keep these territories; the goal is much broader. It is to destroy Ukraine, deprive us of our statehood and annihilate and eliminate Ukraine as a nation. That is why this is a genocidal war.

Putin's goals are even more broad. He will undermine the whole rules-based order. This is a war against the West. If we fail, the next countries to be attacked by Russia will be Romania, Moldova, Poland and the Baltic states. I am sure of this. We should do everything we can to stop Russia right now in Ukraine and defeat it in order to win this battle of the global war between freedom and slavery. Putin is trying to sow the seeds of distrust and disinformation in Ukraine and all over the world. He is using propaganda to undermine our belief in ourselves, transatlantic solidarity and solidarity within the European Union. He is not alone. He is only part of a very powerful authoritarian coalition.