Ireland to back further EU sanctions on Russia

Ukrainian servicemen check streets for booby traps in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine. Picture: AP

Ireland will support further sanctions on Russia at EU level, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney have confirmed.

Both men said the actions of Putin’s forces in Ukraine in recent days call for further action from the bloc. Pressure is increasing on the government to expel the Russian ambassador after Lithuania did so yesterday. Germany expelled 40 Russian diplomatic staff.

Government sources say any move to expel the ambassador would only be done in unison with other European states as a group.

European Union leaders have denounced the "possible genocide" in Ukraine as the Kremlin continues to flatly reject all responsibility over claims of civilian killings by Russian troops.

The bloc is urgently working on a new round of sanctions against Moscow, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell adding that Russian authorities "are responsible for these atrocities, committed while they had effective control of the area".

Amid an international outcry following the weekend discovery of a mass grave and corpses with their hands bound in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv, Mr Borrell said the EU stood in solidarity with Ukraine during “sombre hours for the whole world”.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said on a visit to Bucha that the killings were “war crimes and will be recognised by the world as genocide."

“We know that thousands of people have been killed and tortured," he said.

US president Joe Biden said he would call for Vladimir Putin to face a war crimes tribunal, describing the Russian leader as "brutal".

Ireland to support sanctions

"We would support further sanctions given the appalling and barbaric crimes committed by Russian Federation troops in Ukraine, particularly in the environments of Kiev and Bucha,” Mr Martin said.

“Every conceivable pressure that we can now has to be put on Russia to stop this war.

“I would rule nothing out in terms of how we respond. The Russian Federation has put itself beyond the pale."

Mr Coveney has admitted that EU sanctions to date against Russia were not working, which was why Ireland would be supporting a fifth package of sanctions in the coming days.

Mr Coveney said sanctions were “real and practical next steps that can be taken by the EU.” 

Meanwhile, child and family agency Tusla has confirmed it is caring for 24 Ukrainian children, up to the end of last month, who arrived unaccompanied into Ireland since the Russian invasion.