"Putin will never break the spirit of Ukraine" - former Mayo MEP

Former Mayo MEP Jim Higgins has spoken out against the brutality and thuggery of Russia President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.

Speaking at a peace vigil in Ballyhaunis in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, Jim Higgins said Putin and his tanks may destroy hospitals, schools and homes.

"But he will never kill the leadership, the determination and spirit of the Ukrainian people.

"And, remember this, Putin will fall and I hope he brings the man from Belarus (Alexander Lukashenko) with him."

In his address to the attendance at the event held in the town's Square, Mr. Higgins said he thought he would never see war in Europe again after the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall came crashing down.

"Then again, never did we think we would have a thug and a tyrant like Putin.

"He has put an end to our hopes of peace by the greatest brutality that you could ever imagine.

"What he has done to men, women and children in Ukraine has to be seen to be believed.

"I spent 10 years as a member of the European Parliament, proud of the project.

"I sat with Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Bulgarians, Romanians, Poles, Hungarians and others from right across the landscape of Europe.

"Many of these people where locked behind the Irish Curtain for years and subjected to brutality.

"But never in my life have I seen such a unity of purpose internationally behind the Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as I am now witnessing day after day.

"Putin and his tanks will never break his leadership."

Mr. Higgins led the attendance in a verse of 'We Shall Overcome.'

VIDEO POSTED TO YOUTUBE BY ADAM KACZMAREK PHOTOGRAPHY