Brendan Smith condemns Russian invasion, urges EU enlargement
Brendan Smith condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and called for the European Union to continue and deepen its strongest possible response, including additional measures and business withdrawals from Russia. He urged prioritising humanitarian aid and pressed for accelerated EU enlargement for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and states in the Western Balkans.
Condemnation of invasion and war crimes
He described the Russian invasion as brutal and said war crimes are being committed daily. He called the military aggression anathema to every right-thinking person and welcomed the EU response while urging it to be continued and strengthened.
Support for business withdrawals and humanitarian priority
He welcomed the withdrawal of more Irish companies from Russia and said such decisions should be committed and strongly encouraged for any remaining Irish businesses in Russia. He emphasised that the immediate priority must be the safety of the Ukrainian people and getting humanitarian aid to those most in need.
EU enlargement and geopolitical rationale
He welcomed discussion at the European Council about deepening partnership with eastern neighbours and said there is greater political awareness of the need for the EU to enlarge. He argued that membership of the EU provides the strongest protection for countries near Russia, citing Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia and noting their move into a democratic framework and NATO after the collapse of the Soviet-era order.
Push to accelerate applications and the Western Balkans
He urged that Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia be progressed toward full EU membership as far as possible within present constraints and said the EU has been somewhat too slow. He also called for acceleration of applications from the Western Balkans, noting several states there are already well advanced.
Critique of domestic apologists and chamber tone
He warned against apologists for Russian-style politics at home and insisted the longer-term project of enlargement must not be lost sight of. He addressed questions in the chamber directly, noting he was answering multiple deputies and saying, "I'm dealing with one by one questions, Deputy. It's not all about you."
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Sadly, we continue to see the horrors inflicted on the people of Ukraine by a brutal Russian invasion. War crimes are being committed daily. The United European Union response in its strongest possible format needs to be continued with, I believe, additional measures as well. This military aggression has to be anathema to every right-thinking person. I welcome the withdrawal of more Irish companies from Russia and those decisions should be committed. and indeed strongly encouraged for any remaining Irish businesses in Russia. We all know that at the present time the priority has to be trying to provide for the safety of the Ukrainian people and also to get humanitarian aid to those most in need. I am glad, Taoiseach, that you referenced at the European Council that there was a discussion in regard to deepening partnership with the neighbours of the European Union to the East. Indeed, I welcome the fact that there is a greater political awareness and acceptance of the need for the European Union to enlarge and have better relationships with those countries in the East. For far too long we have too many apologists for Russian-style politics in this country. We must not lose sight of the longer term project to have Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia as EU members. And I think even though at the present time the priority has to be the terrible conflict in getting humanitarian aid to people, we have to still ensure that the project of bringing those countries in as full EU members has to be progressed as much as is possible within present constraints. In terms of Deputy Smith's points which followed on, I strongly support Deputy Smith's points around the EU perspective of many states in the neighbourhood of Russia, that we should be accelerating their application to join the European Union. And in particular Ukraine, but also the Western Balkans. Quite a number of states are very well advanced there. I think the European Union has been somewhat too slow. Some member states have held back in agreeing to that. But from a geopolitical perspective, the strongest protection that many countries in the neighbourhood of Russia and in the neighbourhood of the EU have is actually membership of the European Union. Countries like Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, when the Cold War edifice collapsed and what I mean by that is the Soviet Empire, those peoples had for the first time ever had a chance to get into a democratic framework. And to be part of a wider family of European Union nations. They grasped it with open arms and that's why many of them joined NATO as well. Because their acute sense of insecurity, which we don't have to the same extent in the perspective of Russia, we have no sense of the experience that Latvians, Lithuanians, Polish, Hungarians had at their hands. At their hands. I'm dealing with one by one questions, Deputy. It's not all about you. There's other deputies in the House as well and I'm answering their questions. And I just want to make that point. with that point.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
