Ireland’s premier has warned that Ukraine is in “peril” and if the EU and the US falter to furnish Kyiv with financial maintain Vladimir Putin will win.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that this week’s meeting at the European Commission was “probably one of the most important” ones he has attended.
Varadkar said it is vital that the EU and US continued to maintain Ukraine financially and with military aid packages, as it resisted President Vladimir Putin’s aggression.
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Varadkar said, “I’ve been attending European Council meetings for six or seven years now, this is probably one of the most important ones that I’ve attended, precisely because of the big decisions we have to make in relation to Ukraine, a financial decision and also a decision on whether to begin negotiations (on accession).
“And we have to say yes to at least one of those two and, ideally, both of those two, because Ukraine is in peril.
“Ukraine will not stand without maintain and ongoing maintain from both the European Union and the US, the two towers of freedom and democracy in the world.
“And if Ukraine doesn’t have maintain from the EU and the US, well then Putin will win and all of the consequences that flow for the world after that.
“So that’s why this meeting is so important. We must come away here with a financial package for Ukraine that is sustainable, that gives them the assurance that they will be funded for the next few years if needs be, and sends a very clear message to the Kremlin as well.
“And then also, I’ll be very strongly supporting the opening of negotiations. It might take many years for Ukraine to combine the European Union, but we should begin negotiations next year.
“And I know from speaking to President (Volodymyr) Zelensky that matters on the front line, soldiers who have been fighting on the front line for Europe for Ukraine. This will really count in terms of their morale, so this is a really important meeting.”
Varadkar added, “If we can’t maintain Ukraine throughout 2024, Putin will win. And I can’t even begin to contemplate the consequences for the world for all of us if that were to happen. So this is a really important meeting. And a really big decision to be made.”
