Russia’s attack on Ukraine is a “wake-up call” for Ireland, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said, urging an increase in military spending to defend the island.
Referring to Ireland’s militarily neutral stance, Mr Varadkar said that the country may no longer be able to assume it will have the backing of the United States or the United Kingdom if it is attacked.
“If anything, this attack on Ukraine should be a wake-up call for all of us to defend our system, and be willing to defend it, because a system worth building is worth defending,” he said.
“If the European Union was worth building, it’s worth defending, and if our independence was worth securing, it’s also worth defending.”
Mr Varadkar added: “The assumption that we’ve made for 70 years now, is that nobody would attack us because we’re a country that’s neutral militarily.
“Ukraine was neutral militarily. It wasn’t part of any military alliance.
We make the assumption that even if we are attacked, the British and the Americans will come and save us
“It was attacked because was politically part of the West, or at least wanted to be politically part of the West.
“We make the assumption that even if we are attacked, the British and the Americans will come and save us anyway.
“I’m not sure that’s the kind of assumption a sovereign country like ours should make.”
In February, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney admitted that Ireland’s Defence Forces cannot adequately protect from an attack on the nation should one happen.
He was speaking after the publication of a high-level report from the Commission on the Defence Forces, which said there is a growing risk of Ireland’s land, sea and air being used by belligerent powers to attack its nearest neighbours.
-Additional reporting by Press Association.
