Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As we are all aware, for quite a number of years the people of Ukraine were subjected to very serious military aggression by Russia on the border. Sadly, since the end of February, we have witnessed daily on our television screens the horrors being inflicted on an independent and sovereign country by an evil regime in Russia.

Sadly, we have seen suffering and loss of life and millions of people displaced. I was glad that at the most recent meeting of the European Council there was a very strong and firm commitment by the European Union expressing its unity of purpose, along with partners such as Britain, the United States and other members of the international community. It is important that sanctions are imposed and that they have a major adverse impact on Russia. It is also important that the European Union continues to show solidarity with the refugees. I compliment the people of this country on their support for people fleeing war and horror and victims of an evil regime. Despite those challenges and the situation currently faced by the European Union and the international community, it is still important that the European Union progresses and accelerates the candidacy of Ukraine for membership of the European Union, as the Taoiseach stated, and, similarly, speeds up the membership applications of Georgia and Moldova. Like Deputy Haughey, I recognise that energy costs and supplies are having a significant impact on households and businesses and we need further measures at European Union level.

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