Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.

I thank Deputy Lahart. I am committed, as is the rest of the Government, to working with our European and Ukrainian counterparts to maintain our solidarity with Ukraine and to ensure Ukraine gets the support it needs to defend itself against brutal Russian aggression. This remains a key focus of my engagements, both bilaterally and at the European Union. Ukraine, as the Deputy can imagine, features prominently on the monthly agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council. We are regularly - in fact, almost always - joined by the foreign minister of Ukraine, generally virtually, to hear directly about the situation on the ground and Ukraine’s most pressing needs. This is an important forum for discussion on what more the EU can do to ensure Ukraine gets the support it urgently needs to defend itself and to deter future Russian aggression.

One of my earliest engagements as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade was an introductory phone call with the Ukrainian foreign minister. During that call, I reaffirmed our country's commitment to providing much-needed diplomatic, political, humanitarian, economic and non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine. On 15 February this year, I met the minister on the margins of the Munich Security Conference where we had a detailed exchange on recent developments and how Ireland could further strengthen its support. I have also had a number of phone calls and engagements with the minister since then.

In September 2024, I visited Kyiv and saw at first hand the appalling impacts of Russian aggression. On that occasion, I signed with President Zelenskyy a bilateral agreement on support and co-operation, which underlined Ireland’s unwavering commitment to continuing to support Ukraine and pledged us both to deepen our co-operation and partnership.

Most recently, it was a privilege to be joined virtually by the Ukrainian foreign minister when he addressed the Global Ireland Summit on 6 May. The minister pointed to the global ramifications of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including by undermining the multilateral rules-based order on which we rely for peace and prosperity. Ireland’s position is clear - this war and the threat posed by Russia are not only existential issues for Ukraine but also a major challenge to the security of Europe. I look forward to further close co-operation with my counterpart to strengthen our collective response to these shared challenges.

Specifically on the issue of sanctions, Ireland has consistently supported strong sanctions against Russia in response to its unprovoked and illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The scale and speed of the sanctions adopted by the EU in response to Russia’s brutal aggression have been unprecedented. The broad range of sanction measures put in place are having a tangible impact on the Russian economy. They are making it harder for Russia to access battlefield goods and to generate revenue to pay for its illegal war. Given Russia’s continuing aggression in Ukraine, while refusing to accept a ceasefire and continuing to target infrastructure, it is important that we maintain and increase this sanction pressure. That is why Ireland strongly supported the adoption on 20 May of the 17th package of sanctions against Russia, including its particular focus on measures to counter the shadow fleet. The listing of a further 189 shadow fleet vessels will limit the revenue Russia is able to generate from oil exports. I also welcome that consideration is already being given to a further set of sanctions measures.

We will continue to work closely with EU partners to ensure we are doing all that we can to exert maximum pressure on Russia to end its illegal war of aggression. In addition to imposing new measures, it is also critical that the sanctions we have adopted remain in place. We have been clear that the lifting of sanctions by any country or by the European Union should only ever be considered in the context of a lasting peace agreement.

See this speech in context