Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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126. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 31 January 2023, if he will provide an update on Ireland's efforts at EU and UN levels to stop the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13636/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has been consistently engaged at European Union level on support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression.

Overall EU assistance to Ukraine pledged by both EU and Member States so far amounts to nearly €50 billion, which includes financial, humanitarian, emergency, budgetary as well as military support.

Ireland has consistently supported imposing tough sanctions on Russia in response to its actions. The ten major packages of measures adopted in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine are the most expansive and hard-hitting sanctions in EU history. This war is entirely of Russia’s choosing, and Ireland has repeatedly called for Russia to choose to end its war immediately.

Ireland has also used our voice at the United Nations to highlight Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, and to hold Russia to account. The UN Security Council met 50 times in 2022 alone to discuss the situation in Ukraine. Ireland consistently used its seat on the Council to push for Russia to be held accountable, demand that Moscow end its war, and call out Russia’s cynical attempts to use the Council and other UN bodies to spread disinformation.

Ireland has co-sponsored six UN General Assembly resolutions in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, condemning Russia’s aggression; calling for humanitarian access; voting to exclude Russia from the Human Rights Council; condemning the illegal so-called referendums in the occupied parts of Ukraine and subsequent illegal annexations; and recognising the need for an international mechanism for reparations for Ukraine. Most recently, Ireland co-sponsored a resolution on the UN Charter principles underlying a just and comprehensive peace. This was overwhelmingly adopted by the General Assembly, with 141 votes in favour, on the 23 February 2023 – one day before the first anniversary of the war.

Ireland has been actively engaged in outreach to the international community in support of all of these resolutions, using our voice to highlight the importance of the rules-based international order, and the consequences for all States large and small, when a powerful country so flagrantly breaches the UN Charter and violates international law.

More broadly, Ireland has been active in support of efforts to address the increased global food insecurity stemming from Russia’s war. We have been strongly supportive of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative, and of EU efforts to alleviate food insecurity. I discussed these issues with the United Nations Secretary General during my visit to New York last week and confirmed Ireland's ongoing support for the UN's efforts to alleviate the impacts of Russia's invasion. I also discussed the prospects for a peaceful resolution of the conflict that would be in line with the UN Charter and would respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Unfortunately, there is no sign that Russia is willing to engage in dialogue on this basis.