LAST UPDATE | 24 Feb 2022
IRELAND IS TO waive visa requirements for all Ukrainian people who travel to Ireland following the Russian invasion of the country.
The move was confirmed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin who said that Ireland “will not be found wanting” in providing humanitarian support to the Ukrainian people.
Martin said that the departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs will be implementing the visa waiver programme this afternoon.
“We believe this will be helpful to Ukrainian families here who may want their loved ones to join them. There will be a significant migration issue arising from these attacks, we will have to play our part in helping those who will have to flee Ukraine and we do that in solidarity with our European colleagues,” he said.
Earlier, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney labelled the Russian invasion of Ukraine a “murderous act of aggression”.
Russia has launched an assault on its neighbour with explosions reported in several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, starting at approximately 5am local time (3am Irish time).
In an interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Coveney said that Ireland will not take a neutral stance on Russia’s belligerence.
“Ireland is a neutral country, we’re militarily non-aligned, but we are certainly not neutral on an issue like this, when there is blatant aggression happening on the continent of Europe,” he said.
The foreign affairs minister said Russia’s aggression is “an attack on a Europe that we have built together collectively since World War II.”
He promised “very direct and very hard-hitting” sanctions against Russia.
We are not going to go to war with Russia, militarily.
“But certainly I think the response in terms of sanctions will be very direct and very hard-hitting, and that means that the EU is also going to suffer as a result of those sanctions because undoubtedly there’ll be counter-sanctions from Russia.”
Travel advice
There are a total of 70 Irish citizens in Ukraine who have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Coveney added are two Irish families currently in Ukraine for surrogacy reasons, and the Department of Foreign Affairs is in contact with them to ensure their safe passage from the country.
Two Irish diplomats in Kyiv have been moved to a safe location along with EU colleagues. He added that anyone leaving Ukraine will have to do so by road as country’s airspace currently isn’t safe.
Advice from the Department has been issued, with all Irish citizens in Ukraine being urged to shelter in a secure place. However, the Department said: “Citizens should consider leaving Ukraine if they judge it safe to do so, depending on their location and prevailing circumstances.”
The DFA said that all Ukrainian airspace has since been closed and that all overland routes through the country will be “severely disrupted”. “The road network and border crossings may face backlogs or closures at short notice.”
Regular updates will be issued through the @dfairl Twitter account and any Irish citizen requiring emergency consular assistance can contact a dedicated phone line on 01-6131700.
Writing on Twitter this morning, Minister Coveney said: “Russia has launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine. God help them.
“Rocket attacks and explosions across the country. Make no mistake: this is a shocking murderous act of aggression against a sovereign peaceful state. The EU and the world needs to respond strongly.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent people of Ukraine, as families wake up to shocking Russian attacks. Russian leaders are lying to their own people to justify this illegal aggression. We utterly condemn Russia for this act of unjustifiable war in the heart of Europe.
⚠️ Urgent consular advice regarding Ukraine.
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) February 24, 2022
All Irish citizens in Ukraine should shelter in a secure place. Do not move around the country in the coming hours. Please follow the advice of local authorities.
We will post regular updates on @dfatirl as the situation develops.
A raft of world leaders condemned Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, with Western capitals pledging new sanctions on Moscow and the UN chief demanding the conflict “stop now”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin issued a statement condemning the latest action by Vladimir Putin: “I utterly condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russia’s indefensible attack on the sovereign people of Ukraine. Our first thoughts are with them.
“We will work with our EU partners and at the UN to hold President Putin and his regime accountable.
“Russia will pay a high price for this outrageous act of aggression. We stand with Ukraine,” Martin concluded.
Additional reporting by Tadgh McNally
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