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

There were many countries in attendance who are not in NATO. We are not neutral in this war. I have used my voice around the Security Council table and within the EU and the Council of Europe to look at ways in which we can promote peace and bring an end to this madness. I have been to Turkey and have spoken to the Turkish foreign minister about that country's efforts, co-ordinating with the UN and with Moscow, in terms of trying to get ships out of ports near Odesa that are bringing grain from Ukraine. There are more than 20 million tonnes of grain trapped because of what is, in effect, a Russian military embargo in the Black Sea, which is preventing ships from getting in and out of Ukraine.

We are involved in all these discussions. Ireland's credibility lies in humanitarian interventions and, when we can do so, in peace interventions. We are not contributing lethal weapons to the Ukrainian military but we certainly are supporting that country in every other way we can. This is about trying to protect people from brutality and from the global military superpower that is attacking them with no regard for international law, conventions or standards. It is deliberately targeting civilians, thus far driving 6 million Ukrainians into the European Union. I met the Polish ambassador today. A total of 4 million Ukrainians have crossed the border into Poland alone.

I hear what the Deputy is saying. Of course we need to be an advocate for peace and diplomacy to work.

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