Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In respect of the situation in the Basque country, because of the situation in Ukraine, we did not have an opportunity to have the extensive bilateral meeting we would have wished to have had. The Spanish Government has stated it is committed to the unilateral and unconditional dissolution of ETA and that there is nothing to talk to the group about. The President of the Basque country has noted that ETA has begun to disarm in an unconditional and unilateral manner and that while this is an important step, it is not sufficient. The Deputy can take it that, through the Irish Embassy in Madrid which monitors all of these developments, we will keep in close contact with the Spanish Government and other connections and avail of any opportunity that presents itself to outline our experience in building, in a very difficult period, a fragile but lasting peace, which is of importance to everybody.

On the situation in Crimea and Ukraine, Ambassador Peshkov was called in again last week to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and told clearly that the Government and the Irish people did not recognise the illegal referendum held in Crimea, as a result of which Russia had annexed that part of Ukraine.

At the discussions that took place in Brussels, a three-phase approach was agreed. We discussed how the freezing of assets and the imposition of visa restrictions would impact on the individuals involved. Clearly, the United States was making arrangements to do something similar in parallel.

This will change the nature of the discussion in this country about Europe and about energy in particular. The European Union cannot continue in its dependence on Russia. The decision of the European Council meeting last Friday, in respect of climate change and energy, was to press ahead with the development of the southern corridor and with further interconnectors in the Mediterranean region in respect of gas, as well as an expansion of the possibility for gas from Spain and Portugal to be supplied to other parts of Europe, namely around the Pyrenees and onto the French system.

We have heard other leaders speak about their dependence on Russia for energy. The Ukrainian Prime Minister, Mr. Yatsenuyk, made the point that Gazprom was about to increase the cost of gas per cubic metre from €200 to over €400 and that other countries were paying that for their freedom. That is why the political elements of the agreement with Ukraine were signed by all members of the Union on Friday morning in Brussels, reducing the impact of tariffs and restrictions on goods being exported to the EU from Ukraine. Some countries in the region which are members of NATO are completely dependent on Russia for equipment and spare parts. As the Danish Prime Minister remarked to me, it is a case of living with Russia. During the Danish-led effort in Syria to remove chemical weapons, for example, the first point of contact for the Danes was with a Russian frigate. It is a case of not closing off the options and of asserting the fact that we have no difficulty with the Russian people. The point is that the political leadership in Moscow has made a unilateral move in acquiring that part of Ukraine known as Crimea. As Deputies will know from history, this country lost 30,000 fighting men in the Crimean War in the 1850s.

There was a seriousness about the meeting and general agreement that this has gone too far. People were very anxious to take steps that would impact on Russia in a way that had never been done before. The European Commission was asked by the European Council to prepare a report on further and broader economic sanctions that might be applied which would be really hurtful. However, it must be said that economic sanctions cut both ways and can have an impact on this country too. There are 200 companies in Ireland which supply goods and materials to Russia and these are important considerations.

Countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Bloc and which border Russia are fearful of invasion and are acutely aware of their dependence on Russia for their energy needs. The nature of the debate on energy independence and energy dependence will change as a result of what has happened. We can only hope that the Government of Ukraine will hold the promised free and fair elections in May. Ukraine needs cash, however, and it needs it now - a sum of €2.5 billion is required to pay for gas as well as to meet wage bills and so forth. At the meeting in Brussels the EU High Representative, Ms Ashton, presented a list of the requirements of the Ukraine army, which included shoes and jackets and all of the other basics that a standing army would need, giving an indication of how ill-equipped the army is to defend the country. It was a serious meeting with serious people putting a strategy in place. It was agreed that if there is any more escalation of the situation, broader economic sanctions will apply and will be implemented.

See this speech in context