Assembly debate on Ukraine urges tougher sanctions on '21st-Century Hitler' Putin
The Northern Ireland assembly heard calls for tougher sanctions against Russia with Vladimir Putin branded the "21st Century Hitler" during a debate on the invasion of Ukraine.
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley urged the west to "wake up" and take measures to "contain" the Russian leader with joint action.
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill also called for London and Dublin governments to expel Russian diplomats, and members of many parties urged Westminster to accept more Ukrainian refugees during an impassioned debate in the chamber.
The former deputy first minister O'Neill opened the debate by extending the support of the chamber and her party to the people of Ukraine.
She described Putin's invasion of the country as an "attack on Ukrainian sovereignty, international law and democracy" and a "global threat".
Mr Buckley spoke of his concerns for a Ukrainian friend of his who was in Kyiv and was "worried sick" for her family's safety. Buckley added that the "light of Democracy burns bright" among Ukrainian people, and urged other democratic nations to take steps to aid the country.
Matthew O'Toole of the SDLP accused the Russian state of committing war crimes, and characterised Putin's government as a "gangster regime".
Gerry Carroll of People before profit extended his solidarity to all those protesting Putin's war, both in Russia and around the world. Mr Carroll also accused NATO of being an instrument of "US Imperialism" that had reneged on multiple promises to Russia to not expand into eastern Europe.
Speaking during Justice Minister's questions, Naomi Long urged the UK Home Office to improve on its "half-hearted" efforts to accommodate Ukrainian refugees and called the department to "remove the requirement for visas" for those fleeing the Russian invasion.
During the earlier Assembly debate, numerous MLAs called on the UK government to do more to support both people still in Ukraine and those who had fled the conflict.