Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his opening remarks. I extend a welcome to the ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland and the ambassador of Lithuania to Ireland. I commend them both on their advocacy for Ukrainian and Lithuanian citizens here in Ireland and for their support for the Houses of the Oireachtas and Members in recent years. The representation they provide has been invaluable.

The world is a very dangerous and frightening place at the moment because of very powerful military forces that are engaging in warfare across the globe. Those who lived through the Cold War era must have a sense of déjà vu for the time when the leaders of the three big world powers at the time - the US, China and the USSR - had their respective fingers on nuclear buttons and were staring aggressively at each other in different areas of the world in which they were supporting conflicts. Those of us who were not around at the time are equally afraid of what might happen in the geopolitical struggle that is being waged by Washington and Moscow. At least in the days of the struggle between the big three powers, there were a clear ideological differences. It was broadly a struggle between the forces of capitalism and the forces of communism. I wonder what ideological basis underpins the wars being waged at the moment. What is the ideological purpose behind the occupation of Ukraine, which has been ongoing for two years, and the Ukrainian people? What ideological purpose is behind the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the mass murder of the civilian population of men, women and children?

Russia’s occupation of and war on Ukraine are morally reprehensible and politically indefensible. Its argument about NATO posing a threat to Russia lost any validity when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. The primary issue revolves around the consequences of the invasion for the people of Ukraine and how the occupation is to be brought to an end in order that the people of Ukraine can live in peace. As the second anniversary of the invasion draws near, I commend the people of Ukraine for their resistance to Russian occupation. It has come at such a heavy price. More than 10,000 people have been killed, including more than 560 children. Some 1,900 children have been abducted. Nearly one third of Ukraine has been contaminated by land mines. Civilian infrastructure, including electricity and health services are regularly targeted and destroyed. It is quite clear to most people, and it must be clear to Vladimir Putin, that two years on, his war aims cannot be achieved. It is time for Putin to end this war in Ukraine and withdraw his forces. Russian aggression must come to an end.

It is a source of great pride to people in Ireland that we, North and South, have supported the people of Ukraine. We will continue to do so until the Ukrainian people have control over their destiny and their own country. The solidarity shown to people of Ukraine by member states throughout the EU is any example of the latter operating at its very best. These are the principles of international humanitarian law. This approach must continue until the Russian invaders have left Ukraine. It is an approach which the EU must apply to other areas of the world where occupation and military aggression is taking place.

I hope we will not have to mark yet another year of this war. Make no mistake, however, if we have to return to this matter in a year’s time - and I hope and pray that we do not - we will remain as committed and supportive to the people of Ukraine and to humanitarian and international law, to peace across the EU and Europe and the world as we did in the hours and weeks before and after the illegal invasion.