Russia has launched a "cynical full-scale attack" on Ukraine, the country's Ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko has said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said her thoughts are with her country, her parents and her family this morning.
"I'm so emotional. I'm really shocked actually. My parents live 150km from the northern modern border of Ukraine and they're shocked of course.
"So it's hard to believe that it happened in the 21st century."
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney says this is an illegal act of aggression by Russia - "they are lying to themselves and lying to the world about the justification for it" | Read more: https://t.co/CL4aiOuGLv pic.twitter.com/FnnRuC65IK
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 24, 2022
She said that as a diplomat she wants to believe in a peaceful settlement and that Russian President Vladimir Putin will stop and return to round table negotiations.
Ms Gerasko said all the international community "has to be very vocal and very strong now and there are steps that the international community must do immediately in order to stop Russia."
