Paul Bradford (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to raise the unravelling, as I see it, of democratic life in Russia. I am speaking in the context of the murder at the weekend of the opposition political figurehead, Boris Nemtsov. The murderous killing of Mr. Nemtsov, which is being investigated but which will presumably not lead to a conviction, is the most recent manifestation of the difficult life of Russia's political opposition. We are reaching a situation where the Russian people are facing a one-party state. It could be said that Mr. Putin is on the verge of recreating the Soviet Union without socialism. He appears hell-bent on using his political power and influence to crack down completely on any degree of political opposition in Russia. The knock-on effect is now being seen not just on the domestic stage but also on the international one.

How will the Government and the EU respond to the dangerously political and military interventions which are now being planned and carried out in Georgia, Crimea and Ukraine by Mr. Putin and his associates? Where will it stop? The murder of an opposition politician can be seen in conjunction with the Russian Government's new expansionist policy.

Both the Irish Government and the EU need to be much stronger and aggressive in their condemnation of the internal political problems in Russia, including the attacks on opposition figureheads. Every EU government has links with Russia but we should demand that the Russian authorities respect democracy. It certainly is not being respected at present. Together with his EU colleagues, the Minister will have to be stronger in tackling Russian advances in Georgia, Crimea and Ukraine. The question is, what will be next? I do not think the West is acknowledging sufficiently the threat posed by the new Putin policy in Russia. President Obama is not responding with sufficient vigour.

We must learn the lessons of history. If figures such as Vladimir Putin are allowed literally to do as they wish, the question is, where will they stop?Tragically, the lessons of history show where it leads to. He got away with Georgia and the Crimea and he is getting away with Ukraine. He is using new political allegiances and oil revenue to become almost a bully on the international stage. The EU sanctions regime is clearly not working. There are significant trade links between Russia and every EU country, including Ireland, and we must reflect on the cost of those links, including the long-term costs, if they allow Russia to become not just a super-power, as of old, but a bullying super-power.

I ask the Minister to be very strong in his condemnation of the murder at the weekend and to ensure that there is a very strong Irish and EU protest that goes beyond protest and words to actions. We must recognise the threat posed by the current Russian administration - I hope I am not exaggerating - to peace and security in Europe. The long-term plan of the Russian administration certainly does not seem to be of a very peaceful or neighbourly nature. It seems to be about recreating the old threatening Soviet view of eastern European domination. If the Minister speaks to his colleagues in the Baltic states or Poland, I am sure they will give him a much stronger version of things than I could possibly do. We must recognise that we are dealing with a very threatening political figure. I do not think he speaks for or reflects the average Russian citizen or the people of Russia but he is the person in political and military control of his administration and we need to stand up to him.