Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief because we do not have time to get into an in-depth debate on Ukraine. I have been to Kiev. I went there as an election observer and I do not necessarily accept Deputy Wallace's interpretation of what happened. Ireland takes an independent stance all of the time, particularly at UN fora. However, when the EU makes a collective decision for good reasons then it makes sense for Ireland to support that so that the message is very clear that Europe is united on an issue, in order to try to bring about change. We are united on the issues in eastern Ukraine and it makes sense for Ireland to be part of that stance. Of course, we would like to see a change and improvement in relations between Russia and the EU. It makes practical sense for that to happen but in the context of the Ukraine in particular and the reasons for the sanctions being imposed in the first instance, they are justified.

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