Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has raised the crisis situation in Ukraine with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland in an Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee meeting today.

Deputy Crowe said:

“The crisis situation in Ukraine is extremely worrying and has escalated in recent days.

“The EU and Russia have been playing a dangerous zero-sum geo-political game with Ukraine caught in the middle, and this has unfortunately stoked the flames of this crisis.

“The result has been a continued deterioration and stagnation in socio-economic development, and increased social and ethnic tensions. This has negatively affected average Ukrainians the most and I am concerned for the safety of minorities in Ukraine.

“There is an urgent need for restraint from all sides within Ukraine and from foreign powers, at this crucial time.

“Ukrainians are the only people who should ultimately decide their own future through democratic means.

“I believe there needs to be open dialogue between all sides in Ukrainian, respect for human rights, and for foreign powers to end hostilities and rising tensions by stating they will not militarily intervene and they will stop meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs.”

ENDS