Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith stated that he was glad to meet up again with Ambassador Larysa Gerasko and Olena Shaloput, Embassy of Ukraine in Ireland to get an update on the extremely difficult position facing the people of Ukraine due to the naked aggression of Russia and it’s despicable and illegal invasion of a sovereign independent state.

“As Convenor of the Ireland-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group I arranged for a briefing to be provided to members.

Also as Chairman I arranged for the Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador to address our Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party meeting which is comprised of TDs, Senators and MEPs where there was very good engagement with Members including  An Taoiseach and other members of the government.

It is very clear and absolutely incumbent on the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and their other international partners to provide, as a matter of extreme urgency, further direct aid in different forms to the people of Ukraine.

The strongest possible sanctions must be imposed by the international community on Russia and they have to pay an appropriate price for their horrific actions against an independent people.  We are seeing death and destruction caused by this Russian onslaught and we are also witnessing the fear, suffering and trauma inflicted on innocent people throughout the Ukraine.  Unfolding before us is a very major humanitarian crisis and the international community must respond with urgency in the most responsive and generous way possible”, stated Deputy Brendan Smith.

2/03/2022