Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 January 2022
28. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the European Union and United Nations position on the massing of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine; if the international community is sufficiently committed to protecting the interests of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3877/22]
View answerIreland has strongly and consistently supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as I have conveyed personally to Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on a number of occasions over the past year. Ireland is concerned by the build-up of Russian troops on its border with Ukraine and I continue to call on Russia to de-escalate tensions. In my own remarks, I have consistently underlined the need for strong and unified messaging from the EU.
I and my EU colleagues discussed the situation in Ukraine most recently at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday of this week (24 January). EU Foreign Ministers have been consistently engaged on this issue and have delivered clear messages of solidarity with Ukraine both at the Foreign Affairs Council of 13 December and again at our informal Foreign Minister's meeting in Brest, hosted by the French Presidency on 13 and 14 January.
In remarks after the December Foreign Affairs Council, High Representative Borrell made clear that aggression against Ukraine, will come with political consequences and with a high economic cost for Russia. This message was further reinforced in the Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions of 24 January, which state that preparatory work has accelerated on restrictive measures in case of further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine. Council Conclusions also condemn Russia’s continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine, and call on Russia to de-escalate.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres on 21 January called on the international community to avoid a confrontation and to create the conditions for a diplomatic solution of the problem. Ireland has consistently reaffirmed its support for Ukraine at UN Security Council meetings on Ukraine, including at Arria formula meetings. Ireland co-sponsored the Arria formula meeting on Crimea organised by Estonia and Ukraine in March 2021, which also focused on the worrying human rights situation on the peninsula. On 9 December, Ireland co-sponsored the General Assembly resolution on the demilitarisation of Crimea, and joined the EU statement on 9 December, as we have done in previous years.
