According to Tánaiste Simon Harris, a divide has formed between the US and Europe over Ukraine, reports Breaking News.
According to Mr. Harris, he will present to Cabinet this week a proposal for a package of €100 million in financial help for Ukraine’s non-lethal military support.
In response to a public dispute between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Oval Office, Mr. Harris stated during an interview on RTÉ’s This Week program that Ireland and Europe will continue to support Ukraine, reports Breaking News.
Mr. Harris claimed that upon seeing the interaction, he felt “deeply unsettled.”
He said: “There is only one aggressor here and the aggressor’s name is Putin. There aren’t two equal people and I don’t like any attempt to portray what is happening to Ukraine as some sort of squabble between neighbours. There is a country that was living peacefully in Europe that has been brutally and illegally invaded by Russia,” reports Breaking News.
“Ireland will stand with Ukraine, so will Europe, and this week at Cabinet I will bring specific proposals to provide more financial assistance from Ireland to Ukraine in a practical way. It is fair to say a gulf has emerged between the United States and European Union in terms of this issue. That wasn’t just seen in the Oval Office last week, though that was a very tangible way of seeing it, it was also seen at the UN General Assembly where the United States of America voted with Belarus, Russia and North Korea and not with their European allies,” reports Breaking News.
“I think that does give you a sign of the gulf in terms of approach that has developed. But what is within the control of the European Union and Ireland is providing practical assistance to Ukraine. What we are seeing in our nearest neighbour the United Kingdom today is a practical way of bringing together nations who share a view,” reports Breaking News.
Mr. Harris stated that he will present his proposal for further non-lethal military assistance to Cabinet on Tuesday.
He said: “That will basically involve providing money that will be used to purchase things like armoured vehicles, that can assist in demining and cyber protection measures, non-lethal use of military equipment. Separate but linked to that will be the European Council meeting later in the week where the European Union will decide a package of support that it wishes to put in place, and Ireland will obviously have to contribute to that as well,” reports Breaking News.
Mr. Harris was questioned about whether he would be in favour of Mr. Trump receiving an official invitation to Ireland.
He said: “Presidents of the United States, and indeed leaders from around the world, are always welcome in Ireland. We always take the approach you are better to engage with people where you have points of difference rather than take yourself off the pitch,” reports Breaking News.
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