Irish politician on Ukrainian secret service list accused of promoting 'Russian propaganda'

An Irish politician has been included on a list compiled by Ukraine's secret service who "promote narratives consonant with Russian propaganda".

Irish MEP Clare Daly is one of 72 public figures around the world who Ukraine deems to be sharing such narratives.

Ms Daly is the only Irish figure on the list. US Republican senator Rand Paul, former Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and US journalist Glenn Greenwald are others included on the list.

Titled “speakers who promote narratives consonant with Russian propaganda”, the list was published by the Centre for Countering Disinformation, a unit within the national security and defence council of Ukraine which is headed by president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ms Daly is being accused of sharing two narratives - that sanctions against Russia “make innocent people suffer”, and that the Ukrainian conflict is “a proxy war between Nato and Russia.”

Ms Daly and fellow MEP Mick Wallace have been vocally critical of the EU and NATO policy towards Ukraine. 

Ms Daly told The Irish Times that the list includes a diverse range of people with nothing in common politically, except that they are critical of Nato and the West’s policies towards Ukraine.

“Now comes an attempt at a ‘blacklist’ issued by a government propaganda department,” she told the Times.

“But that is what a free and open discussion in a democratic society looks like. Ukraine trying to shut it down is a mirror image of the repressive behaviour we rightfully criticise in Russia. We shouldn’t be encouraging it,” she added. 

On her website, she states that the opening of hostilities lies solely with President Putin. 

"Predictably, hawkish elements in government and in the press are now exploiting the crisis to attack the anti-war movement, to propagandise on behalf of NATO, and to undermine Ireland’s policy of neutrality," she adds.