Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

Like many of us, I remember when we woke one morning in February 2022 to learn Russia had invaded Ukraine. In the first week, everyone wondered what would happen and believed the Russians would roll over the Ukrainians very quickly. What has happened has proved otherwise, and it is certainly a tribute to the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people that they have held up for so long against what would always have been considered a huge global military power and that they have been able to fight back and hold the line. Of course, they have done that with the support of many, none more than the people of Ireland, who welcomed thousands of them here. In the first few weeks, many of us worked with people we knew or got to know from Ukraine to help to bring families here, accommodate them and work with them. Many of those people have become part of communities in different parts of the country and have been a huge asset. Many I have got to know have told horrific stories of things that happened to their families back home. One man I know from my community told me his sister was killed in the very early days of the war. Since then, three members of his extended family have died. All were civilians. In conflicts like this, the people who suffer most are usually civilians, and that has been very much the case as a consequence of the brutal aggression of Russia against its neighbour. Of course, Vladimir Putin is basically a fascist dictator trying to expand his power and grow his influence. It is clear that he has to be stood up to.

Unfortunately, with the change in regime in the US, we do not see as steadfast a line being drawn there. We have had talks and new dawns promised, including at the Alaska talks, and peace was supposed to be coming but it has not come. It has not because ultimately Putin does not want peace; Putin wants to continue the war. Unless an aggressor accepts that they have to stop, retreat and go back to the negotiating table, a war will continue. That has been the tragedy for hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine.

I have often thought that if the hundreds of billions spent, through the war industry, on the Ukraine war alone were spent on health services or anything positive for humanity, it would make such a difference. Instead, we have genocide in Gaza and genocide in Sudan, which is going to continue. Such conflicts are feeding an industry that is making huge profits from them. That link is not pointed out often enough. We need to be firm on this and recognise that vested interests do not want war to stop, very often with tragic consequences for so many.

The Irish people have played their role. Very many families opened their hearts and homes to people from Ukraine and were enriched by that experience and by having Ukrainians in their communities. That welcome must continue. Sometimes I hear a backlash in some of our communities and all sorts of negative comments about people who come here from Ukraine or other countries. We must be very conscious that only this week a man was convicted in the courts of the murder of someone simply because he thought that person did not speak English. That tells us we have a huge problem boiling under the surface in this country. We have to address the problems of racism, Islamophobia and other prejudices. We cannot avoid that reality. While we welcome and want to accommodate people fleeing conflict and situations in which they would have their human rights denied, we recognise that, while they enrich our country, there are those with a very negative agenda. That has to be fought against.

The Irish people stand wholeheartedly with the people of Ukraine against the aggression of Russia. We want to see peace come about. We all know that peace can come about only if the aggressor accepts that peace should prevail. It is certainly the view of most people that until Vladimir Putin feels strong economic pressure, he will not relent. That pressure must come from all countries, not only those in Europe. They must stop buying Russian oil and exert maximum sanctions to ensure Russia is brought to heel and to the negotiating table to work out a settlement that will give Ukraine back its territory and ensure a full and final peace settlement. There cannot be a settlement if Ukrainian representatives are outside the door. It is vital that they be part of it.

I am glad to be here to address this issue. Ultimately, the Irish are very clear that they want to see peace everywhere in the world. They want the many Ukrainian friends they have made to have a happy and peaceful place to go back to.

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