Ukraine’s prime minister believes Russia is attempting to destroy his country’s capacity to harvest and export grain in order to create a global food crisis, the Taoiseach has said.
Denys Shmyhal made the comments during an hour-long meeting with Micheál Martin on Wednesday at Shannon Airport. The men discussed the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine as Mr Shmyhal stopped off in Ireland while enroute to Washington DC .
Speaking after their meeting, Mr Martin said Mr Shmyhal’s view about Russia making a “concentrated effort” to create a global food crisis was “worrying”.
Met the Ukrainian PM @Denys_Shmyhal in Shannon today.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 20, 2022
He gave me first hand account of shocking and horrific campaign of terror on civilians in #Ukraine by Putin’s regime.
I assured him of Ireland’s support for strongest sanctions against Russia and for Ukraine’s EU membership. pic.twitter.com/EOPTteCuCb
The Taoiseach also said the accommodation pressures posed by the arrival of refugees into Ireland were “very challenging” but “we have to do everything we possibly can”.
“Up to 25,000 have now arrived into the country, that is the largest amount of displaced people ever to come into Ireland in such a quick and rapid timeframe,” he said.
“We want to work on a number of fronts particularly to turn around the pledges (of accommodation from the public) more quickly than they have been to date.
“Also there are a number of other facilities coming on track and in addition to that there is the reconfiguration of buildings that have been identified by local authorities that could also help. But it is very challenging and it will continue to be challenging given the high numbers that continue to come into the country.”
Emergency accommodation
Due to a shortage of hotel beds, Millstreet Arena in Co Cork is now being used as an emergency accommodation facility for people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Mr Martin said that Mr Shmyhal gave him a “first-hand account of events on the ground in Ukraine, of the appalling massacres in Bucha in particular, and the continuing attacks on civilians and on towns”.
“Clearly the strategy of the Putin regime is not just killing people in an immoral and unjust war in Ukraine, but of causing huge international stability around energy and food,” he said.
“The prime minister outlined some clear objectives around financial support to enable the Ukrainian government to continue to feed its people and to keep the economy going despite the enormous destruction caused by the war.
“He reiterated the need for support for Ukraine’s European application to join the European Union, and I assured him of Ireland’s strong proactive support in that regard.”
Mr Martin said they also discussed sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion.
During the meeting, Mr Shmyhal also spoke of the need for international assistance and expertise to deal with clearing unexploded munitions and cluster bombs, as well as logistical support on excavating residential blocks destroyed by Russian attacks.
Mr Martin said when rescuers and first responders go in they are often attacked as well. He said residential zones were being bombed in an effort to cause people to flee their homes.
