Sinn Fein Stormont leader calls for expulsion of Russian diplomats

Michelle O’Neill also urged the European Union to take greater sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s regime, describing a “global threat to us all”.

The former deputy first minister said she had been “deeply saddened and troubled” by recent events and hit out at the “misery and total devastation being directed at the people of Ukraine”.

Ukrainians living in Northern Ireland staged an anti-war demonstration at Belfast City Hall on Friday, while others are fundraising to send aid.

Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Ms O’Neill described Russian actions as a “brutal attack on Ukrainian sovereignty, international law and democracy”.

She called for all the Stormont parties to unite to condemn the leadership of Mr Putin and to extend solidarity to the people of Ukraine.

Ms O’Neill called for more sanctions to “force a complete withdrawal of Russian military forces”, saying the current measures are not deterring the attack.

“The EU must act and must impose sanctions on such a scale where there can be no doubt that Putin and his oligarch supporters will pay a huge price for choosing the course of military conflict over dialogue and diplomacy,” she told MLAs.

“Those Russian diplomats, the apologists for Putin based in London and Dublin, should be expelled today, and without delay.

“There must be zero visa restrictions on those refugees forced to leave their homeland of Ukraine to come to these islands, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson must ensure, like Dublin has done, safe and seamless entry so families can be reunited on humanitarian grounds, and without conditions applied.”

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley commended the bravery of the citizens of Ukraine.

“The light of democracy burns bright in their hearts, minds and soul. I can only begin to comprehend the huge pain and suffering inflicted upon many of them,” he said.

He described a friend living in Kyiv with her husband and children as “worried sick”, and said his heart and admiration is with the Ukrainian people determined to fight for their homeland.

“We must stand up to Vladimir Putin because Putin has all the hallmarks of a 21st century Adolf Hitler… unless the West wakes up and realises that if Putin is to be contained they must do so in a united way,” he said.

“The West must stand united and take on Russia with all its might both economically and through other means.”

SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole condemned the actions of Mr Putin and “his gangster regime” as “totally unacceptable” and accused them of committing war crimes.

“For far too long his regime has undermined democracy across the democratic world,” he told MLAs.

He paid tribute to the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people, and urged a ramping up of the humanitarian response and the waiving of visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens by the UK.

“As a proud European I stand in solidarity today with my fellow Europeans in Ukraine as they deal with the murderous gangster regime of Vladimir Putin,” he said.

Speaking during Justice Minister questions, Naomi Long said her powers are limited regarding what she can do in terms of welcoming Ukrainians to Northern Ireland.

She described the efforts of the Home Office as “rather half-hearted and slightly depressing”.

“I wish that they would go further, I wish that they would remove the requirements for visas, I wish that they would be more open about welcoming people to the UK and I believe they should do so,” she said.

“I also believe that they should use the powers they have in terms of account forfeiture, unexplained wealth orders and in terms of the other powers that they have to start to deal with some of the oligarchs.”

Asked whether she could call a meeting of the shadow Executive, in the absence of the First and deputy First Minister, Ms Long said she believes the party leaders forum could meet around the Ukraine crisis.

Speaking in Co Armagh, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie referred to “a huge crisis sweeping across Europe”.

“The invasion of Ukraine by Russia is truly appalling and my thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and in particular the humanitarian crisis which is now unfolding in that country,” he said.

“It’s important that we do everything we can do to support Ukraine and support those people who are involved in that humanitarian crisis because we have never seen the likes of this in our lifetime and this could be a really defining moment.

“What we have seen is the international community come together, the EU, the UK, NATO and those unaligned all standing as one and that is heartening.”