Irish government provides €10 million in humanitarian support for Ukraine

Ireland would not recognise a Ukrainian government installed by Russia, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said as he vowed to support the strongest possible sanctions on Moscow at an EU summit.

It followed warnings from the United States that the forces of Vladimir Putin could attempt to take out the Ukrainian government and install a puppet regime.

The Taoiseach said there was “no way” Ireland would recognise such a government.

"Absolutely not. We support the democratically elected government of Ukraine, and we'll continue to do so," Mr Martin said.

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“Ireland stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their darkest hour.”

The Irish government is to provide €10 million in humanitarian support for Ukraine, as well as other assistance, he added.

The Taoiseach spoke as he entered an emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday called to coordinate a response to the Russian invasion.

On the table are sweeping sectoral sanctions that would affect Russia’s ability to access international banking systems, and hurt key industries including energy, technology and transport.

The aim is to undermine Putin’s ability to finance the war and foster dissent among his regime, the business community and the wider public.

The Taoiseach said Ireland supported the strongest possible sanctions, an indication that the government is not among those who have wavered on whether to exclude Russia from the SWIFT banking system or hit energy imports due to the economic cost.

“We will be supporting the strongest possible and the most comprehensive sanctions that can be deployed, particularly in the financial sector, in energy and transport,” the Taoiseach said.

The sanctions would fall “in a range of sectors that would weaken the industrial base of Russia, and also its capacity to wage war” he added.

“We think of the Ukrainian people in the line of fire, we think of the young people who will die because of this Russian aggression unnecessarily. And in no way is this justifiable by any yardstick.”

‘Hit Putin and his henchmen’

Earlier before departing for the meeting Mr Martin said Russia’s attack on Ukraine was immoral, wrong and unjustifiable and promised that the sanctions imposed by the EU would be far reaching and hard-hitting. “It is an immoral and outrageous breach of the most fundamental principles of international law”.

In a hard-hitting condemnation of the attack and of Russian president Vladimir Putin, Mr Martin promised that EU sanctions would “hit Putin and his henchmen where it hurts most”.

Speaking to reporters outside Government Buildings, Mr Martin also rejected Russia’s arguments of national interest, describing its reasoning as warped.

“Our thoughts must be with the innocent people of Ukraine during this, the most difficult hour. We stand with them,” he said.

Mr Martin said the UN Charter requires all countries to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state.

“As a small country, today’s use of brute force in pursuit of a warped perception of national interest is a serious affront.

"Europe will adopt the most severe package of sanctions ever considered on top of measures already announced.

“They will be aimed to hit Putin and his henchmen where it hurts most. They have been warned that actions have consequences and the consequences for them will be server, the costs will be high.”

Ireland would not be neutral on the issue of Ukraine in the face of such blatant aggression by Russia, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said.

The Minister told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Europe would respond with a resolve that had not been seen in some time and the European Union had contingency plans in place to ensure the safety of its people.

Ukraine’s president has declared martial law and urged citizens not to panic as Russia launched military strikes on the country, while the country’s foreign minister called it a “full-scale invasion”.

Mr Putin announced the action during a televised address early on Thursday morning, saying the move was a response to threats from Ukraine.

‘Murderous act of aggression’

He said Russia’s military operation in Ukraine was a “shocking murderous act of aggression against a sovereign peaceful state”.

“God help them. Rocket attacks and explosions across the country... EU and world needs to respond strongly,” he tweeted on Thursday morning.

Mr Coveney said the Irish diplomatic team in Kyiv had moved to a safe place and his department was staying in close contact with them. “We are working with EU colleagues to ensure their safety.”

Mr Coveney said officials from his department was assisting two couples having babies through Ukrainian surrogates who were still in the country.

Other couples have managed to bring newborn babies home in recent days with assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“We have been planning for this for a while,” said Mr Coveney. “There are contingency plans in place and we will obviously act in a way that maintains the safety of our people.”

Irish diplomats are providing consular assistance to an estimated 60 Irish citizens who remain in Ukraine.

Irish Families Through Surrogacy said it would continue to support families whose babies are due in Ukraine in the coming weeks and it was aware the department was working closely with the affected couples.

“Our hearts are with the Ukrainian people, particularly our surrogate mothers and their families and all of the professionals who have helped us on our surrogacy journeys,” the group said.

“Our surrogates are part of our extended family. Ukraine is where many of our much loved children were born. Our connection and solidarity with Ukraine is unwavering at this most distressing time.”

Ukraine is a popular country for Irish couples seeking a child by a surrogate mother through private clinics. There were 14 Irish children due to be born between February and May.

Irish Families Through Surrogacy is planning to hold a candlelight vigil outside the Ukrainian embassy on Saturday at 5pm and has asked people to attend and “show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

At an emergency UN Security Council meeting, Ireland condemned the decision of Russia to launch a military operation and called on security council members to “assume their responsibility and to speak out in the strongest possible terms about this act of aggression”, according to the Minister.

All Irish citizens currently in Ukraine should seek shelter in a secure place, a new update from the Department of Foreign Affairs recommended.

The Department advised citizens against moving around the country in the coming hours and to follow the advice of local authorities.

Any travel to Ukraine at this time is not recommended, the Department added.

Ukrainian community

The Ukraine ambassador to Ireland, Gerasko Larysa said her thoughts were with her country and with her parents and her family.

“I am so emotional. I am so shocked. It is hard to believe it happened in the 21st century,” she told Morning Ireland.

She accused Mr Putin of testing the security architecture of the whole world.

Michael Baskin, former director of the Ukrainians in Ireland association, said there were reports overnight of missile strikes around the country.

Although mobile phone signals were reportedly jammed in some parts of Ukraine, he had been able to speak on Thursday morning to his sister in the eastern city of Zaporizhia to make sure that she and her family were safe.

The Russian assault had left Ukrainians with no option but to fight, Mr Baskin said. In recent days as the threat of an invasion grew, friends who had served in the past in volunteer military battalions had again joined the reserve forces.

“A lot of men and women picked up their backpacks, some of them to go to the west of Ukraine to save the children and elderly, the active part of society that’s able to fight,” he said.

“Ukrainians feel enormous support by Irish friends who live here. Sometimes it’s overwhelming how supportive the Irish nation is to us here,” he said.

“The Irish Government was, in my opinion, very active in this time. Taking account the neutral status of the State the Irish Government shows strength and support to Ukraine without any doubt.”

‘Terrified’

Members of Ireland’s Ukrainian community held a protest outside the Russian embassy in Dublin on Thursday morning.

Mariia Bocheva, who is from Ukraine but has been living in Ireland for two years, told The Irish Times her family back home are “terrified”.

“They can’t believe this is happening. They didn’t believe it would happen until the very last moment. And at least not at this scale,” she said.

“This shouldn’t be happening. This is not only a threat and a tragedy for Ukraine but for all of Europe.”

“We need to push back not just as one country, but the whole world needs to be against this.”

Among the protesters were Russian people living in Ireland and Irish people who came to show their solidarity with Ukraine.