Ireland wants to do more to help Ukraine and solidarity has to be about actions and not just words, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has said.
Speaking in New York on Monday, Mr Harris said Ireland “was in the business of wanting to provide more in terms of practical assistance” and that “solidarity costs money”.
The Cabinet earlier this month agreed to provide an additional €100 million in support for Ukraine. However, if an overall €20 billion European Union package of assistance for Ukraine, which is currently under discussion, is finalised, Ireland’s contribution could ultimately rise to about €315 million.
Mr Harris denied that Ireland’s increased level of support for Ukraine was stretching the definition of the Government’s policy that it would only provide non-lethal aid.
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The Irish Times reported on Monday that as part of the €100 million in support announced by the Government earlier this month, Ukraine had signalled that its top priority was non-lethal elements of air defence systems such as radar.
[ From ready meals to air defence radar: How Irish aid to Ukraine has evolvedOpens in new window ]
Ministers have also been told the Ukrainian authorities would like to see Ireland funding electronic warfare systems such as jamming equipment as well as unarmed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drones, and armoured personnel carriers.
From the €100 million allocation to Ukraine announced at the beginning of March, it is also envisaged that €20 million would go towards demining projects and information technology and cybersecurity programmes.
Speaking to reporters during his St Patrick’s Day visit to the United States, Mr Harris said: “We are very clear, as is Ukraine, as to the role that Ireland can and cannot play.”
“I am very struck in the engagements I have had with the Ukrainian government, not only is there an understanding on what Ireland can and cannot fund because of our military neutrality, there is actually an appreciation of that fact,” he said.
“There are many countries that provide military assistance in the lethal sense of the word. There is actually a lot of non-lethal equipment that needs to be provided as well. And Ireland can play a very useful role in that.”
Mr Harris said discussions were under way in Brussels at the Foreign Affairs Council and he had been in touch on Sunday with the EU high representative for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas.
He said it may take a little while longer to finalise the full details of the new European assistance package for Ukraine. However, he said Ireland wanted to do more to help.
He maintained that sooner rather than later clarity would be needed in relation to the financial package.
“The people of Ukraine need that assistance now and Ireland is ready to intensively engage on that.”
Mr Harris said Ukraine and Europe needed to be in the room for any peace talks about ending the conflict which has been under way for three years following Russia’s invasion.
He said it should not be forgotten that there was only one aggressor in the war.
