Tánaiste won't break triple lock rules but admits Irish peacekeepers may play a role in Ukraine

Tánaiste Simon Harris said under the current rules, there would need to be a UN resolution for there to be any Irish troops sent. File photo: Brian Lawless/PA

The use of Irish peacekeepers in Ukraine cannot be ruled out, the Tánaiste has said.

However, Simon Harris also ruled out Ireland breaking its own triple lock rules and said the future of Ukraine must be decided by Ukraine and not Russia and the United States.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told EU leaders on Wednesday that the use of an Irish peacekeeping force would need to be under an international mandate based on "UN principles". Currently, the triple lock mechanism only allows deployment where there is a UN mandate either from the Security Council or General Assembly, Government approval, and a Dáil resolution.

Mr Martin made his comments to leaders at an emergency summit of EU leaders after the US and Russia held talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at finding a peace deal in Ukraine.

Mr Harris told the Irish Examiner any discussion around the role of Irish peacekeepers must wait until after a future for Ukraine has been decided. He said under the current rules, there would need to be a UN resolution for there to be any Irish troops sent. But, Mr Harris said, the mechanism used to secure that peace "matters".

"The rules are very clear at the moment, and of course, Ireland is going to abide by those. But I don't rule out Irish peacekeepers playing a role should we get to that.

"What I don't want to do is jump over, which is a pretty major hurdle at the moment, is what does the peace process actually look like that respects Ukraine's territorial independence and sovereignty.

"I think we have to take this step by step. 

Of course, we all want peace. But how peace is brought about matters, how international laws are applied matters, how the UN charter is respected matters. 

Ireland should not recuse itself from any conversation on peacekeeping."

Mr Harris said Irish peacekeepers have served with distinction across the globe, but having a conversation about their use is premature because there is "zero evidence" that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace.

Mr Harris said a "bad deal" on Ukraine would have lasting consequences.

"If a brutal aggression and illegal war can be rewarded in terms of gain of territory, what does that mean for other countries in Eastern Europe? What does it mean in general, for an international rules-based system?"

Speaking at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Johannesburg, Mr Harris told foreign ministers including representatives from Russia that Ireland will stand with Ukraine for "as long as it takes". 

He said Ireland "continues to condemn Russia’s illegal war and its ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population". He added that the end of the conflict "must be on the basis of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace".

The issue of Ukraine hung over the meeting after tensions between Ukraine and the US further escalated with US president Donald Trump branding Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” who had done a "terrible job" and telling Mr Zelenskyy to "tone down" his criticisms of the US.