Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

Certainly, when we hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of next year, our priority from a foreign affairs point of view in relation to Ukraine will be to work very closely with the European Union and with international engagement processes, including with the United States. I intend to work very closely with Ms Kaja Kallas, our EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in trying to bring peace to this horrific conflict. The Deputy is quite right that there is a huge amount of talk and effort put into trying to bring about peace. Unfortunately, that all looks somewhat like folly when we see Putin showing no interest in peace. I believe from a European Union point of view, and this will be Ireland's position, we need to continue to apply economic sanction on Russia to get Putin to change his nexus or his calculus in relation to his illegal aggression. Therefore, it is about continuing to work at a European level to try to maintain that European unity and solidarity in relation to Ukraine. Then, if we get to a point of peace, obviously, Ireland will be wanting to participate in conversations about how we can play a constructive role. However, I think the big challenge, if the war has not ended by then, is going to be to try to bring about peace and be a strong voice in terms of ending the conflict and using the levers at the EU's disposal to maximise that pressure.

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