Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The Government continues to conduct appropriate contingency planning that considers a number of perspectives, including consular support for citizens. At the same time it is important to remember that intensive international efforts to secure a negotiated diplomatic resolution to the tensions are ongoing. At the moment there are no plans to withdraw staff or evacuate our embassy in Kyiv. The Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to keep the security situation under review in line with its procedures on ensuring the security and safety of our staff there. On 22 January the Department updated its travel advice for Ukraine and advised that people should avoid non-essential travel to the country. We will be continuing to keep this advice under review. We also continue to advise that all Irish citizens in Ukraine should register with the Irish Embassy in Kyiv so they can receive consular assistance and be evacuated from the country should the need arise.

I state once again that the Government strongly supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We believe that should be respected. We also respect and support the right of the people of Ukraine to determine their own affairs and their right of sovereignty. They have the right to decide they wish to join the European Union or to decide they wish to join NATO. Those should always be decisions for the elected Ukrainian Government and not to be determined by others or imposed on it by anyone else.

At present we have made no provision for financial aid to neighbouring countries but we absolutely acknowledge that were there to be a conflict, as well as loss of human life, there would likely be significant refugee flows into Romania and Poland in particular. In that scenario we anticipate the EU solidarity clause would be triggered and we would be required, but also willing and happy, to assist Romania and Poland in any way we can should that situation arise. That would also involve, under European arrangements, being willing to take a number of refugees from Ukraine, which we would be willing to do. However, all efforts at the moment are aimed at avoiding such a scenario because we know a land war between Russia and Ukraine would result in tens of thousands of deaths and probably hundreds of thousands of people being internally displaced or fleeing to Romania and Poland. Nobody wants that situation to arise so diplomatic efforts are under way to avoid conflict in the region. Crucially, that cannot mean sacrificing the sovereignty and autonomy of Ukraine and the right of its people and democratically elected Government to determine their own affairs.

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