Tánaiste Attends Informal Meetings of EU Defence Ministers and Foreign Ministers

The Tánaiste Simon Harris is in Copenhagen today for a two-day summit that will be dominated by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The gathering of both EU Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministers is being held against the backdrop of a brutal missile attack in Kyiv this week which killed 14 civilians.

The summit will also focus on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Tánaiste said: “I strongly condemn this week’s brutal missile attack on Ukraine, which killed 14 civilians and injured others, and included damage to the building of the EU Delegation in Kyiv.

“Russia must immediately halt its criminal attacks and agree to a full an d unconditional ceasefire.

“Ireland’s solidarity and support for Ukraine, our commitment to providing non-lethal aid to Ukraine, as well as our strong support for Ukraine’s EU accession remains steadfast.”

A specific focus of the two-day summit in Copenhagen will be defence readiness and how member states can develop their capabilities.

Defence Readiness

Commenting further, the Tánaiste said:

“Defence Readiness is something that all Member States are taking increasingly seriously and I look forward to engaging with counterparts on how EU initiatives can assist Ireland in developing our capabilities. Maritime domain awareness, cyber and critical infrastructure protection remain the main capabilities of potential interest to Ireland.”

On the Common Security and Defence Policy agenda item, the Tánaiste will confirm Ireland’s support for the continuation of EU missions, in particular, Operation ALTHEA (Bosnia & Herzegovina), the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine and Operation Irini (Libya & Mediterranean Sea), in all of which the Defence Forces currently participate.

Middle East

The Tánaiste will then attend the Gymnich, where Foreign Ministers will discuss a range of issues, including Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

Ministers will be joined by the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Iceland, and Norway, the UK Minister of State for Europe and North America, and the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, as well as the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Tánaiste said: “We gather at a critical moment for Ukraine and European security in the face of Russia’s continuing war of aggression, but also for the Middle East, where the situation in Gaza remains catastrophic with famine conditions and the prospect of further Israeli military operations. We urgently need to see a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

“I look forward to hearing from the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Ireland and our EU partners remain committed to supporting Ukraine including through the provision of political, financial and military support. I will be emphasising the need for further EU support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression. The escalation in Russia’s brutal attacks on Kyiv and cities across Ukraine continue to demonstrate that it is not interested in peace.

On the situation in the Middle East, the Tánaiste said: “The situation in Gaza remains utterly devastating. The images of civilian suffering and the numbers killed on a daily basis, searching for food, are beyond words. I will be making the case for urgent EU action to pressure Israel to reverse course.

“There are concrete measures that we can take, including: the prohibition of imports from illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories; the progression of proposals for sanctions targeting violent settlers; and immediate action on the European Commission proposal to suspend Israel’s participation in part of the Horizon Europe programme. We urgently need to see a ceasefire and hostage release deal and humanitarian aid at scale into and throughout Gaza.

“We will also have an opportunity to discuss Iran. I welcome the ongoing efforts of the E3 and EU regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme. It is clear that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear device. I urge Iran to engage in dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the international community.

“I will also discuss the latest developments as regards renewal of the UNIFIL mandate. It is essential that the EU and the international community maintains its support and commitment to the Government and people of Lebanon during this period.”