Leo Varadkar: We must defend our democracy and support Ukraine

Leo Varadkar: 'The amount of trade we have with Russia and Ukraine is actually quite small. So it's going to be less the direct effects and more the indirect effects that may hit us.' Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

Ireland must "defend its system", the Tánaiste has said. Speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk, Leo Varadkar said Ireland had "never been politically neutral" and that we were "supporting Ukraine" in the face of a Russian invasion.

He said Ireland must not take its liberal democracy for granted. Mr Varadkar said: "Ireland has been militarily neutral for a very long time since the Second World War. That means we don't get involved in combat. We don't commit combat troops to war.

"But we've never been politically neutral. In the Second World War, we supported the allies, not the Nazis. On this occasion, we're supporting the Ukrainian people in their fight to protect themselves. 

We're inspired by the bravery of the Ukrainian people and their government, but I think one thing we're going to have to start doing again is start defending our system and not take it for granted. 

"We're a liberal democracy. We believe in the rule of law. We believe in market economies. We believe in multilateralism, and our system is far from perfect. We have lots of problems, as everyone knows, but there's nobody climbing over walls or climbing into dangerous boats to get into Russia or China or Cuba or Venezuela or North Korea or these kinds of places.

"And we need to once again understand how fortunate we are to be in a liberal democracy, and how precious that can be and we need to defend it."

Mr Varadkar said he "understands the anger" towards the Russian ambassador Yuriy Filatov "because he shares it" but said expelling him was not a prudent idea.

"Even countries that are at war exchange ambassadors. If we cut off diplomatic relations, we'll be looking for the UK or the Dutch or the French to look out for our citizens.

"It might make us feel better for a while, but we would regret it for weeks and months after."

Asked about the effects that sanctions on Russia would have on the Irish economy, Mr Varadkar said his department had been "examining the potential impacts on business and the potential impacts on employment" of the crisis.

"The amount of trade we have with Russia and Ukraine is actually quite small. So it's going to be less the direct effects and more the indirect effects that may hit us.

"We don't rely on Russia for gas supplies but half of our oil and gas comes from Corrib and the other half comes through the UK, mainly from Norway and the Middle East." 

He told the show there may be price rises or shortages, but "none of that is inevitable".

Mr Varadkar said he had had a meeting with executives at the Alumina plant in Aughinish in recent days and, while the content of that meeting was commercially sensitive, he had assured staff that the plant would remain open.

The facility employs nearly 500 people and is owned by Rusal, a Russian mining-to-manufacturing global conglomerate producing the compound alumina, as well as aluminium, and other related products.