Irish troops could be part of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine after the end of the war with Russia, Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence Simon Harris has indicated.
The prospects for the security situation after the end of the war in Ukraine were discussed by European Union ministers this weekend in Copenhagen at an informal summit hosted by the Danish EU presidency.
In a statement to The Irish Times, Mr Harris said he was “open to considering with Government colleagues and military leaders” the deployment of Irish troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine “should we arrive at a point where a peacekeeping presence is part of an negotiated agreement to end the war and bring about a just, lasting and enduring peace”.
Mr Harris said: “Our country and our Defence Forces have such a proud track record of peacekeeping around the world. While right now, peace still sadly seems at a remove in Ukraine, it is important that we remain open to playing a role in any appropriately mandated peacekeeping mission that may arise in the future.”
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In the event of a ceasefire and a peace deal that freezes the borders where the front lines are currently positioned – which has been widely suggested as the only possible grounds for a peace deal – Ukraine has made clear that it will require security guarantees to protect it from future Russian aggression.
This could mean a multinational peacekeeping being deployed in the region, though it is not clear that Russia would consent to the presence of troops from Nato countries.
Ireland has consistently identified itself as a part of the “coalition of the willing”, the group of nations committed to assisting Ukraine. Taoiseach Micheál Martin indicated his willingness to send Irish troops earlier this year and Mr Harris has not confirmed that the idea remains on the agenda.
Last week, the UN voted to end the mission in Lebanon in two years’ time, where Irish troops have served continuously in UN missions since 1978. There is likely to be a push to be part of other international missions to replace the Lebanon deployments, seen as one of the Defence Forces’ most important roles.
EU ministers also discussed the situation in Gaza, where the Israeli assault intensified over the weekend. Mr Harris said that if the EU continues to be unable to agree a strong joint position, he would seek to work with like-minded member states to co-ordinate action against Israel.
