Micheál Martin: Ireland will 'do whatever we can' to help Ukrainians in their hour of need

A man mourns near a body after an airstrike damages an apartment complex outside of Kharkiv in Ukraine today. The Taoiseach will this evening announce a package from Ireland to support the people of Ukraine. Photo: Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Ireland stands with Ukraine "in its darkest hour", the Taoiseach says.

Speaking in Brussels ahead of an urgently-organised meeting of EU leaders, Micheál Martin said that Ireland will be providing an initial €10m humanitarian fund.

"We will also stand ready to do whatever else we can to assist the Ukrainian people in their hour of need."

Mr Martin said that Ireland will support whatever measures the EU deems fit against Russia, including expulsion from the SWIFT banking arrangement. He said sanctions had to reflect the seriousness of Russia's incursion and "weaken its industrial base and ability to wage war".

However, Mr Martin was unequivocal that Ireland will not support or recognise any government installed in Kyiv by Vladimir Putin.

"No. Absolutely not. We support the democratically-elected government of Ukraine. We believe fundamentally in the principles of the UN charter which have been violated by Russia.

"We believe in peaceful solution to disputes. We think of the Ukrainian people in the line of fire and of the young people who will die because of Russian aggression, unnecessarily and in no way is this justifiable."

Mr Martin said that this was a situation he "did not want to be in" and that he and his EU colleagues condemned Russia's actions today. He said it was clear that Russia was "intent on a military assault on the Ukrainian people".

Earlier, the government admitted that sanctions on Russia may only have a limited impact.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has admitted there is a “great deal of pessimism” that sanctions on Russia will have any impact, but doing nothing is not an option.

He said in the light of the very serious developments overnight, the EU will move forward with a second even more wide-ranging sanctions package this evening.

“A special meeting of the European Council has been called for this evening and the Taoiseach is attending. Ireland's general partners in the European Union will adopt the most severe package of sanctions that Europe has ever considered,” he said.

Mr Coveney said sanctions will not be cost-free for this country or other EU member states, but we are left with little choice on foot of Russia's behaviour. He said the role that Ireland will play here will not be a neutral one.

“We are a neutral state. We are militarily non-aligned,” he said. 

But when we see the continent that we have helped to build in terms of political stability over many decades, being threatened in a way that is now happening, coming from Russia by illegally invading their neighbour, we need to stand up and ensure that we are part of resisting that negative change on our continent.

Ireland will be very much part of a collective EU effort, he said. “I've been in politics for 25 years. I'm not sure I have ever seen anything that has united the EU in the way that this issue is currently uniting European countries, countries that have very different relationships with Russia,” he said.

He said that we will take the necessary actions, even if they are painful ones for the EU, in order to stand up to what we are seeing happening to our eastern neighbours. He added that Ireland is among a number of EU member states who responded with an offer of medical supplies.

“Today the government is working on a further package from Ireland to support the people of Ukraine and the Taoiseach will be in a position to announce this later on this evening,” he said.

To those seeking refuge in Ukraine, Mr Coveney called on people to only escape if they are safe to do so. “Our embassy is no longer operating in Kiev and our staff and other staff are transferring to a safe place as we speak,” he said.

To the Ukraine population in Ireland, he said Irish hearts are breaking with them as we stand with them today.

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“We had hoped to avoid this war. We had in fact pleaded with Russia to pull back from the brink through multiple diplomatic efforts. Those hopes and pleas were ignored and instead we see illegality, aggression and killing,” he said.

Mr Coveney said he is working with Justice Minister Helen McEntee to put a structure and system in place that will allow Ukrainian citizens in Ireland bring their families from Ukraine to Ireland.

“If they judge that that's necessary for safety reasons, we will ensure that that system works and is streamlined. Likewise, for Irish citizens who are in Ukraine who of course want to bring their families with them home who may not be Irish nationals, we will also ensure that we have a process in place that will allow them to do that quickly and without impediments,” he added.