CLARE DALY HAS attacked the imposition of sanctions on Russia in a speech in the European Parliament.

Daly, along with her colleague Mick Wallace, was one of 13 MEPs who previously voted against a motion to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

That resolution outlined the EU’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the two MEPs said they couldn’t back the motion because it also expressed support for Nato and called for weapons to be sent to Ukraine.  

Since the vote, the pair have faced criticism from constituents and others in Ireland, as well as fellow MEPs, for their position.

This morning in the European Parliament Daly spoke about her opposition to sanctions against Russia, claiming that the European Union was acting on behalf of Nato. 

“The EU instead of promoting peace and acting in the interests of the people of Europe to Ukrainians, the EU citizens and, yes, the Russian citizens too has become a tool of NATO and the military industrial complex.

“What is needed is an end to the conflict, an end to militarism, a ceasefire and a negotiated settlement.

She went on:

“How is not selling Kerrygold butter to Russia going to save any Ukrainian lives? How is buying filthy fracked US gas going to stop the war?

“They won’t of course, because nowhere have sanctions ever succeeded in ending a military assault or achieving regime change,” she said. 

The MEP appeared to confuse the recent news of Kerry Group’s withdrawal from Russia with Kerrygold, which is made in North Cork by a separate company Ornua.  

Daly claimed that sanctions against Russia would not stop its invasion of Ukraine.  

“History has taught us that sanctions do not end military conflict. They do not bring peace.

“They make the people suffer, not the oligarchs – the people, the people of Russia, the people of Europe, and they’re not going to help save lives because the more arms you pump into Ukraine, the more the war will be prolonged, the more Ukrainians can and will die, and it might sound radical colleagues, but the answer to war is not more war.

“It’s peace, and peace isn’t delivered by the barrel of a gun. It’s delivered by diplomacy. By dialogue. You can wish away your continents history, but we share a continent with Russia.

“We will sit down with Russia, there will be a negotiated peace and this organisation should be promoting it earlier. Rather than delaying it and making sure that more Ukrainians die, your feigning of sympathy rings hollow – it makes me sick to be honest with you,” she claimed. 

Separately Barry Andrews, a Dublin MEP, yesterday said Ireland should support an EU ban on imports of Russian oil and gas.

Calls for tougher sanctions against Russia have increased following the news over the weekend of Russian atrocities against Ukrainian civilians in Bucha outside Kyiv.

The Fianna Fail MEP said the EU will be able to cope with the impact of an energy embargo despite the bloc’s reliance on Russia for supplies of gas, oil and coal.

Andrews said the Ukrainians need military aid and tougher sanctions.

The decision by Kerry Group to suspend their operations in Russia and Belarus was also welcomed by Fianna Fail MEP Billy Kelleher.

The Ireland South MEP had urged the Group to pull out of Russia because of the war in Ukraine. He’s now calling on all Irish companies to stop doing business with Russia while the war continues.