Tánaiste has said blaming Ukraine for Russia’s invasion was “revisionism on speed” in response to comments by Donald Trump, reports Breaking News.
Simon Harris called for “calm” as Europe reeled from the US president’s comment that Kyiv “should never have started” the war.
Mr Harris, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs, said he believes Mr Trump wants peace but there is “no evidence” that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the same.
“I think anyone who attempts to blame Ukraine is clearly engaging in revisionism on speed. The reality here is there’s only been one aggressor in relation to this brutal, illegal invasion and that is Vladimir Putin, who took a decision to invade a peaceful neighbouring country on the continent of Europe. Ireland and the European Union, and indeed the United States, had stood in solidarity with Ukraine and with the people of Ukraine,” Mr Harris told RTÉ’s News At One, reports Breaking News.
When asked whether he trusted Mr. Trump on the matter, he replied that Ireland would cooperate with any democratically elected government and that he had congratulated Mr. Trump on his victory in the November US election.
“President Trump does want to see peace. I don’t doubt him in relation to that and the conversation I had with him, he was very clear on that. He doesn’t like to see war. He doesn’t like to see conflict. The point I would respectfully make though to our colleagues in the United States is how you bring about peace matters, and any peace process has to absolutely be on the terms of Ukraine, in terms of recognising that they are the sovereign nation that was invaded. This is not about two neighbours having a bit of a dispute. This is about one sovereign country in Europe that has been brutally invaded by Russia,” reports Breaking News.
“I don’t think we can buy into the premise that there’s a peace process under way,” he said, adding that Ireland shouldn’t rule out future peacekeeping missions in Ukraine.
There was no indication, Mr. Harris added, that Ireland would not receive an invitation to visit the White House in March, reports Breaking News.
Although Mr. Harris stated that formal invitations from Washington are often sent “a little bit closer to the time,” it is thought that one has not yet been received.
“My understanding is that the work on the ground, in terms of our own embassy in Washington and the likes, is proceeding as normal,” Mr Harris said, reports Breaking News.
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