Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy's general comment about how Russia has behaved in recent years. There were many warning signs but I thought the poisoning of people in the United Kingdom, in Salisbury and London, provoked too lame a response from the West. This was an appalling public health attack, as well as the murder of individuals. It was a public health attack that put many people in the United Kingdom at risk due to the radioactive material and nerve agents and so on. It seems to me that over time, with the invasion of Crimea, President Putin felt he could get away with these things and thought the same would happen with the invasion of Ukraine, that people would not take a stance against it.

The European Union has implemented extensive restrictive measures against Russia, including through its ninth package of restrictive measures and the international oil products price cap. Europe stands ready to continue this. Compliance with existing sanctions is a stronger focus. David O'Sullivan, a former Secretary General and Director General within the EU, has been appointed as sanctions envoy to make sure sanctions are not circumvented.

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