Former Ukrainian first lady is ‘saddened’ by Sabina Higgins’s letter on Russia invasion and says it fails to recognise country's ‘existential crisis’

A former first lady of Ukraine said a controversial letter about Russia’s invasion of her country written by Sabina Higgins, wife of President Michael D Higgins, does not recognise her country’s “existential crisis”.

Kateryna Yushchenko, wife of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, told the Irish Independent she met Mr Higgins in 2017 when he expressed “sincere dismay” about the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Donetsk and Luhansk.

“Thus, I was saddened and surprised by Mrs Higgins’s letter, which fails to recognise the existential situation in which Ukraine finds itself,” she said.

“Of course, we wish we could negotiate an end to this war, but Russia has openly declared that Ukraine should not exist and is determined to wipe us out as a nation.”

In a statement yesterday, a spokesperson for Mr Higgins said the President has been “unequivocal in his condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine”. However no reference was made to Mrs Higgins’s letter.

It follows several days of mounting pressure over the letter which was published in the Irish Times, and on the President’s official website before being removed later.

The letter suggested Russia and Ukraine should agree to a ceasefire and negotiations.

Russia propaganda outlets seized on Mrs Higgins’s comments yesterday as part of “western cancel culture”, which President Vladimir Putin has claimed is out to destroy traditional values in Russia and elsewhere.

Tsargrad TV, owned by sanctioned Russian businessman Konstantin Malofeev, told readers on its website that Ireland “had decided to cancel its President”.

“In Ireland, the scandal surrounding President Michael [D] Higgins and First Lady Sabina is gaining momentum,” it said in an editorial. “Sabina was hunted down by all sorts of commentators who are calling for a fight with Russia to the last Ukrainian.”

Mrs Yushchenko, whose husband was allegedly poisoned with a deadly toxin by Russian spies, said Ukrainians have always felt a special bond with the Irish due to similar experiences as a colony, and a common history of famine.

She said experience had shown that Russia never abides by any of the many peace agreements it has signed, and that it only uses ceasefires to regroup and invade us again.

“When Russian troops occupy our towns, they kill, rape or deport the people and destroy the buildings and infrastructure,” she added.

“If we give up territory, it is a death sentence for our citizens. We have no choice but to fight and win back our occupied lands. We cannot afford to be naive and vulnerable."

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv has so far declined to comment on the matter. Its ambassador to Ireland did not reply to emailed requests for comment.

Cormac Smith, a former senior adviser to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, welcomed the statement clarifying Mr Higgins’s position, but said he was concerned Mrs Higgins had delivered “a propaganda victory” to the Kremlin. He described the letter as a “serious misstep”.