'Putin’s ambitions will not stop at Ukraine': Taoiseach says Europe must be defended
Leo Varadkar made the comments during a Thursday speech in Bucharest, Romania, where he is attending the annual congress for the European People’s Party
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he does not believe Putin’s “ambitions” will stop at Ukraine indicating a possible threat of an escalation of a Russian invasion in Europe.
He also said Europe will do more to help Ukraine in the coming months and years including military assistance, finance, humanitarian and political support.
Mr Varadkar made the comments during a Thursday speech in Bucharest, Romania, where he is attending the annual congress for the European People’s Party (EPP) of which Fine Gael is a member.
He said: “Ireland is at the edge of Western Europe, but we have opened our hearts and doors to the people of Ukraine.
“I do not believe that Putin’s ambitions will stop at Ukraine.
“This is our war too and it’s not just happening on Ukraine’s territory.
“It’s happening all around us, in our seas, and in the form of physical and cyber-attacks.
“As one of my forebears said, a Europe worth building is a Europe with defending. We should do so by developing PESCO in particular.
“The least we can do is provide them with the tools they need to defend their country and their homes – and progress EU accession negotiations as quickly as possible,” Mr Varadkar said.
The Taoiseach said the EPP’s message “must be that we stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
He said: ”Our message to the Kremlin is that Russia cannot win this war and we will do more to help Ukraine in the coming months and years. That involves military assistance, finance, humanitarian and political support.”
On Gaza, Mr Varadkar said “we were all horrified by the indiscriminate and brutal attacks by Hamas” on October 7. He said there was no excuse for the attack and “we are the outrage of the Israeli people over these attacks.”
Since then, he said the Israeli government has inflicted appalling violence on the people of Gaza.
He said: “Palestinian civilians are not responsible for the crimes of Hamas and should not be subject to collective punishment.
“We need a ceasefire, so food and medicine can get into Gaza, and we need the immediate release of all of the hostages. We also need the European Union to engage in the fight for a permanent peace between Israel and Palestine and Arab countries,” the Taoiseach added.
Mr Varadkar also wished President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen every success as she is to go forward as the EPP candidate to be reelected to her current role.
He said: “Ursula, your leadership and stewardship of the European Commission – on Covid and Ukraine, on migration and on climate and nature – speaks for itself.
“We need you leading the Commission for the next five years.”
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