Europe 'can’t run away from its own values', Zelenskyy tells packed Oireachtas

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Government Buildings during the Ukrainian president's visit to Dublin. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

In early April 2022, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Oireachtas that, 40 days into Russia’s full-scale invasion, 167 children had been killed.

At that time, he was addressing TDs and senators by videolink from an embattled Kyiv.

Three years and seven months on, President Zelenskyy stood in front of a packed Oireachtas, where all but a couple of TDs warmly welcomed and applauded the Ukrainian leader.

Compared to the youthful, fresh-faced man who spoke on the video-link, he looked deeply tired — not a surprise given Ukraine is regularly described as a country that “doesn’t sleep”.

In the intervening time, the death toll among children has climbed to 738.

And these are deaths that, as of October 10, have been documented by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, and may well be incomplete.

In addition, a further 2,318 children have been injured.

Including adults, the UN estimates there have been 53,006 civilian casualties, including 14,534 deaths, since Russia's war of aggression started in February 2022.

Separately, Ukrainian authorities estimate 20,000 children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and taken to Russia. A further 1.6m Ukrainian children remain in territories occupied by Russia.

'Remind the world'

President Zelenskyy thanked Ireland repeatedly and urged Irish people to “please remind the world” that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a criminal and unprovoked act of aggression.

“Russia wants to treat Ukraine and its property and Ukrainians as if they belong in its backyard, like livestock,” he said.

He urged Ireland to “push” and “insist” on an international tribunal to make Russia accountable for its abuses and to lobby to bring “kidnapped Ukrainian children” home.

“Russian killers can’t travel the world as if they have done nothing wrong,” he said, sparking the first spontaneous round of applause.

President Zelenskyy said Europe “can’t run away from its own values”, prompting more clapping, before adding: “It must stand up for them”.

He said: “Ukraine is doing exactly that, on Europe’s behalf.” 

Introducing the president, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy said Ireland’s policy of military neutrality does not mean it is “morally neutral”, and said “peace was the only solution”.

President Zelenskyy said there was a “real, real chance” of that, but stressed it must be a "real" peace, a “just” peace — one that was “without humiliation”, that does not “appease killers” and where aggressors are “held accountable”.

As he visited Ireland, Russian president Vladimir Putin warned Europe that if it started a war with Russia that “it would end so swiftly for Europe that there would be no one to negotiate with in Europe”.

He accused the EU of hindering US and Russian proposals to end the war, proposals seen by the EU as rewarding Russia and stripping Ukraine of its freedom, sovereignty, and security.