Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent phone conversation with the Ukrainian President. [4222/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent phone call with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. [4424/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent phone call with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. [4427/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, together.

I spoke by phone with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, 10 January. President Zelenskyy extended new year's wishes to the people of Ireland and expressed his appreciation for the steadfast assistance and friendship shown by Ireland and the Irish people to Ukraine over the past year, and to the more than 70,000 Ukrainians who have received refuge and protection in Ireland. I assured President Zelenskyy of Ireland's continued solidarity. I also confirmed to him that Ireland will continue to stand with Ukraine, now and throughout its path towards EU membership.

We discussed Russia's despicable attacks on Ukraine's civilian population and energy infrastructure. The President said that in the face of and despite this brutal aggression, the people of Ukraine remained strong and determined that Russia will not win its war of aggression. I said that Ireland had been pleased recently to help with equipment to repair Ukraine's electricity grid, and to provide budgetary assistance to the Government of Ukraine to meet essential needs and services, including during this winter period.

President Zelenskyy raised his ten-point peace formula and looked forward to Ireland and other international partners' co-operation in implementing a peace plan when conditions allow. In that context, I affirmed Ireland's solidarity and our desire and determination to see the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence, and for holding those responsible for the war to account. President Zelenskyy also extended an invitation to me to visit Ukraine at a future opportunity.

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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On that last point, does the Taoiseach intend to visit Ukraine? Perhaps he could let us know his views on that, having regard to the invitation. As we know, 24 February marks the first anniversary of Russia's illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the support and solidarity given by Ireland and the EU to Ukraine has been rock solid, and rightly so. In his phone conversation with President Zelenskyy on 10 January, the Taoiseach discussed Ukraine's initiative for a just peace. It is up to Ukraine to decide on the terms, conditions and timeline for such a peace agreement. I am interested to know how Ireland might assist with this proposed peace plan. I understand that it covers issues such as accountability for war crimes, food security and matters surrounding nuclear safety, among other things. I take it that Ireland is supporting the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute these war crimes.

Under the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy, it is proposed to provide military training to Ukraine. Ireland's expertise in this regard is in clearing land of mines and the management of explosives. This will still be an issue when the war ends. Perhaps a report could be presented to the House, outlining how Ireland can assist President Zelenskyy's initiative for a just peace.

On a related issue, there are fresh reports regarding the possible need to introduce amending legislation to defence Acts so that protection can be provided for our ambassador in Kyiv.

Maybe this is a matter for the Minister for Defence but if the Taoiseach knows anything about this in relation to promised legislation, I would appreciate if he would let me know.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I noted that those in the Dáil for Leaders' Questions stood for a pause for peace. It is a very good thing that people would stand up and call for world peace. When we look at the horrific conflict that is taking place not only in Ukraine but also in Yemen, Syria, where we have seen the horrors, and many other parts of the world, I do not really understand how we can stand for peace and call for a pause for peace, on the one hand, but there is no sign from the Government of what is supposed to be a neutral country of our actually urging peace in the terrifying conflict taking place in Ukraine. The despicable character, as the Taoiseach called it, of Putin's invasion is beyond question. He is a tyrant, a warmonger and a bully and what he is doing is wrong but that does not mean that continually escalating the war is the solution because it has reached a terrifying level. As I mentioned last week, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which was set up by Einstein in 1945, has stated the clock towards nuclear annihilation is closer than it has ever been since the end of the Second World War. It is 90 seconds to disaster. That is where things seem to be going. President Zelenskyy is looking for tanks. Then he wants F-16 fighters. Where does it go? Is the Taoiseach worried about the possibility of this escalating to a nuclear confrontation which would be a disaster for everyone? Should Ireland not use its voice to call for de-escalation?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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Does the Taoiseach have any concerns about the largest weapons transfer in history being made by NATO forces into Ukraine? This escalated in the past week in the decision to send heavy tanks in the form of M1 Abrams from the US and Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and other European countries. Precisely as Deputy Boyd Barrett indicated, the logic of this is to have further and further escalation. Now the demand is that the only way to use these tanks very effectively is to have F-16 fighters in the air. The things that were previously said by western leaders about containing this conflict within certain realms, not going for an air conflict with Russia, for example, over the ground of Ukraine, are now being discarded. Is the Taoiseach not at all concerned that this leads in an extremely dangerous direction which could end up in further escalation by Putin, who is responsible for the brutal, bloody and imperialist invasion if Ukraine, into nuclear conflict? That is something that all of humanity must be extremely concerned about.

The winners here are not ordinary people in Ukraine or anywhere around the world but the armament manufacturers. If we look at their profits, General Dynamics, which makes Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles, increased its profits in the final quarter of last year by 15.5%; Ratheon Technologies, maker of Stinger and Javelin missiles, doubled its profits in the last quarter of 2022; and Lockheed Martin also significantly increased its profits. They are the big winners out of this. Is the Taoiseach not concerned that these dealers of death and destruction are profiting from this massive drive to militarisation and massive expansion of military budgets, not ordinary people?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I would like to visit Ukraine. I have never had the opportunity to visit that country and would very much like to do so. I am connected to it now in a way I never was in the past given that someone from Ukraine has been living with me since May 2022. I have come to learn a lot about the country and its culture and would love a chance to visit at some point. I would particularly like to be able to visit a country that is at peace. If the opportunity arises, I will travel to Ukraine to show our support and re-emphasise our solidarity but no dates have been agreed or discussed at this stage.

President Zelenskyy make me aware of his ten-point peace plan which I have looked at since we spoke. It is very good but realistically I do not think it is something that Russia would ever agree to. Ukraine will have to regain more, if not all, of its territory before the prospect of a cease-fire or peace arises. The way we can achieve peace is for Russia to withdraw from the territories it has occupied. That is not something the Deputy should be blasé about.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I am not being blasé. It is death or glory though.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Calling on someone to withdraw from occupied territories is something they should do. We want to get the embassy in Kyiv up and running, have the ambassador there and have it functioning again. There are some issues around security. I do not know the details of that but I know the Tánaiste is working on it.

I absolutely agree that escalation is not a solution but what is the alternative? Is it to allow Russia a free hand to massacre the Ukrainian people, occupy their capital and take away their freedoms and democracy? I know the Deputy is not saying that but it not the case that anyone thinks escalation is a solution. Weapons are being provided to Ukraine because if they are not provided, the conflict will escalate anyway. Russia will enter the big cities and will do in those cities - Kharkiv, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa - exactly what it has done in the cities it has occupied. It is not a choice between escalation or de-escalation. Russia will escalate this war anyway, kill more civilians and commit the most heinous atrocities. The reason weapons are being provided to Ukraine is to hold Russia back. That is the impossible choice that countries bigger than ours are now making.

I want to be very clear, however, that we do call for de-escalation. We want Russia to cease fire, stop its advance, stop the missile attacks and air strikes on civilian targets and pull back from the territories it has occupied. That would put us in a different place. I do not think western governments would have to provide additional armaments to Ukraine if that were to happen. It is important that we never allow anyone to doubt that all of us in this House believe that Russia is the aggressor. I know the Deputies opposite are not supporters of Vladimir Putin or the Russian regime but I think it is important that in their comments they do not create the impression that this is somehow a war between equals. This is a big country against a small country. This is an aggressor against a country that has been attacked. There is a big difference between providing weapons to a country that is defending itself and providing support to a country that is on the attack. Just like the Deputies, I am appalled to see the arms industry making money and increasing profits as a result of what is happening in Ukraine. I would much rather see that money being spent on reconstruction.