Simon Harris says Ireland would be ‘eager to assist’ with Ukraine peacekeeping

Ireland could send peacekeepers to Ukraine and would be “very eager to assist” if a peace agreement was struck with Russia, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said.

Speaking at an event for Veteran’s Day on Sunday, the Defence Minister said: “We have a proud track record in this country of peacekeeping. And of course if you got to a peace agreement and there was a requirement for peacekeepers, Ireland certainly wouldn’t recuse itself from that conversation and would be very eager to assist but, unfortunately, as of today we have no sight or sign of a peace agreement.”

Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy, said he would provide military options for the Government. Speaking at the same event, Lt Gen Mulcahy said options would be provided for peace enforcement or a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. He added: “I am sure there are capabilities that Ireland could provide, but that would be subject to government approval.”

However, the Tánaiste stressed that it’s very hard to talk about peace in Ukraine “hours after Vladimir Putin has continued his reign of terror”. On Sunday morning, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Kyiv, killing at least four people and injuring dozens. Ukraine’s military said its air defences shot down 568 drones and 43 missiles.

Mr Harris added that further sanctions are needed on Russia, saying: “I have just come back from the UN, we are all talking about and engaging in peace and how you bring about lasting and enduring peace, but Putin is showing no interest in peace.

“There is really a question now for the United States and the European Union about how we work together to maximise that pressure on Putin to change his course of action and I think further sanctions are the way forward.”

The Defence Minister also announced there will be an increase in spending for the Defence Forces in Budget 2026. The Government will first increase spending on radar and sonar capabilities, and then look at increasing air capacity in terms of fighter jets.

Lt Gen Mulcahy described this increase as “very comprehensive, probably the largest investment that the state will make in capability and in capital”. Mr Harris said that although Ireland is a “proud, militarily neutral country”, it doesn’t mean defence and security isn’t taken seriously, adding: “We take it extraordinarily seriously.”

The Tánaiste added that it was an important time to thank Ireland’s veterans, saying: “Thank you to them for their service at home and abroad, the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann who served with distinction and great honour here in Ireland, but also in many conflict zones right across the world, and I’m thinking today, of many Irish troops that are still deployed overseas in a number of locations.”

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