TÁNAISTE Simon Harris has called on Russia to agree to a full ceasefire and end its conflict with Ukraine.
Mr Harris was speaking after a meeting between US president Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Reports since the meeting suggest Mr Trump now favours a peace deal instead of a ceasefire, with the president posting on his Truth Social account on Sunday that 'big progress' had been made.
Meanwhile, Mr Putin has reportedly demanded Ukraine hands over control of the eastern Donetsk region in return for the freezing of front lines.
While welcoming Mr Trump's commitment to ending the conflict, Mr Harris said Russia needed to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire or risk further EU sanctions.
"As a first step, we call on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire," said Mr Harris on Saturday.
"Ukraine also needs strong and credible security guarantees that will ensure its long-term security.
"This matters not just for Ukraine but also for Europe's future security.
"Ireland, with our EU partners, stands ready to impose additional sanctions and maintain firm and coordinated pressure on Russia.
"We must never forget the impact of this war on the people of Ukraine, their enormous suffering, and the generational scars that this war will leave, particularly on so many young people."
'Russia remains the agressor'
Mr Harris also called for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be fully involved in negotiations to end the conflict.
President Zelenskyy is due to meet Mr Trump in Washington on Monday, along with other European leaders.
"We must remember that Russia remains the aggressor in this conflict, and can end its aggression at any time," said Mr Harris.
"President Zelenskyy and his government must be involved in all decisions on how the conflict ends.
"Ireland will continue to work with EU partners to achieve a just and lasting peace that fully respects international law, including Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, and the inviolability of its borders."
Following the Alaska summit, Mr Zelenskyy said on Twitter/X that he supported Mr Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA and Russia.
"Ukraine emphasises that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this," he posted.
However, in a subsequent post, he wrote: "We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation.
"If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater [measures] — peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades."
See More: Simon Harris
