Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I agree with the Deputy's initial comments. My own view, and I think that of many member states, as was reflected in our recent meeting, is that the actions of Russia indicate that it is not a country that is seeking peace. That is very clear, not just from the fact that innocent civilians have been killed in recent days and weeks but also the fact that there continue to be persistent hybrid threats to neighbouring member states. Our friends in Poland told us very clearly of the blowing up of a trainline and only for one device not detonating, there would have been significant casualties. Similarly, hybrid threats are happening at airports in nearby countries, such as Lithuania and others. These are not the actions of a country that wants peace.

I genuinely welcome the engagement of the United States and its efforts to bring forward a peace agreement. Again, I have to stress that the 28-point plan that we initially saw over the weekend very clearly had elements that needed further work. The engagement of EU member states, the United States, Ukraine and the EU institutions in discussions is welcome, as is the clear indication from President Trump more recently that the deadline of today is no longer a deadline. I think it shows a clear commitment on all sides, separate to Russia, to reach that agreement. We need to make sure all sides are putting pressure on Russia to come around the table to realise that long-lasting peace and to make sure that it is a peace that will not just have strong implications for Ukraine, but for the EU and the European region in general.

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