The Ukrainian embassy in Dublin has criticised a call in Sinn Féin’s general election manifesto for countries to stop supplying weapons to the country.
In a statement yesterday, the embassy said it was “disturbed by the irresponsible call to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine”.
“These weapons allow us to defend Ukrainian people and the global international rules-based security system. Lack of military aid will increase mass killings of Ukrainians and will have catastrophic consequences for the world.”
In its manifesto Sinn Féin said that it condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine but went on to say: “Ukraine, Russia, the United States and the EU should play a role in bringing this conflict to an end by putting the interest of the people of the region above other geopolitical interests.”
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It went on to say: “All sides must cease the current unlimited supply of weapons into Ukraine which has cost hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Ukraine has constantly appealed for help to defend itself against the Russian invasion, and EU countries and the US continue to supply it with weapons and other aid. Ireland has sent nearly €400 million in “non-lethal” aid to Ukraine, including vehicles, rations, mine-clearing equipment and rations.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said Russia should stop the war in Ukraine and that it was an “appalling lack of any moral compass that leaders can preside, that president Putin can preside over such carnage, and it should stop”.
Responding to the growing threat of Russian bombardment of the country, Mr Martin said that “for the application of cautionary principle our embassy staff are working at home” and not in the embassy building in Kyiv. “That follows consultations between different embassies across Ukraine.”
But “there’s no plans in terms of withdrawing staff” from Ukraine, he said.
[ Western states shut Kyiv embassies amid fears of major Russian missile attackOpens in new window ]
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Matt Carthy, said on Wednesday night that the party “unequivocally stands against the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine and has repeatedly demanded that Russia ends its war against the Ukrainian people”.
“However, an escalation of this conflict is in nobody’s interest and we are facing a very dangerous situation,” he said.
“As a neutral state and as a people who have first-hand experience of conflict and peacemaking, we believe that Ireland is best placed to act as a voice for dialogue and an end to conflicts, whether they be in Ukraine, Palestine or elsewhere.”
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