Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will participate in the March meeting of the European Council in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. The agenda will cover Ukraine, security and defence, the Middle East, enlargement, migration, agriculture and the European semester. There will be a discussion on specific foreign policy issues, including the death of Alexei Navalny and the situation in Belarus. Leaders will take stock of preparations for the new strategic agenda 2024-2029. I will also participate in a Euro summit, scheduled for Friday, and leaders will mark the 30th anniversary of the European Economic Area agreement with the Prime Ministers of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. In my statement, I will cover Ukraine, Russia, security and defence, the situation in the Middle East, agriculture and the strategic agenda.

Our discussions will start with a working lunch on Thursday with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres. I expect that he will take the opportunity to raise the desperate situation in Gaza, where the work of an adequately funded UNRWA is needed more urgently than ever. I will make clear Ireland’s full support for the indispensable role of the United Nations as part of a rules-based international order.

In our meeting proper, we will take stock of the situation in Ukraine, as we face into the third year of war. It is an opportunity to restate our unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and to make it clear that we will continue to stand with the brave people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. Russia’s imperial war is existential for Ukraine but is also fundamental for European and global security. If he is successful in Ukraine, we know that Putin will not stop there. Since February 2022, the European Union has provided unprecedented political, financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic assistance. This must continue. At the European Council, leaders will consider how to speed up procurement and delivery of the equipment Ukraine so urgently needs. I very much welcome the recent agreement on the Ukraine Assistance Fund, which will sit within the European Peace Facility. It will make an additional €5 billion available for vitally needed equipment for Ukraine. Ireland's contribution under this mechanism will continue to be non-lethal, given our policy of military neutrality.

While the EU continues to assist Ukraine, we must also hold Russia to account. The recent adoption of the 13th package of EU sanctions against Russia is very welcome. We must continue to work together to close loopholes and prevent circumvention. Leaders will also reiterate calls for sanctions to be prepared against Belarus, North Korea and Iran for their role in bolstering Russia’s efforts. Work is progressing on the implementation of the recent agreement at EU level to set aside the revenue generated from the immobilised assets of the Central Bank of Russia to help Ukraine. These funds should contribute to the repair and reconstruction of Ukraine. Russia must also be held accountable for its human rights violations and the illegal elections it has been holding in Ukrainian regions, as well as for the crime of waging a war of aggression. Work is ongoing to establish a tribunal for the prosecution of that crime.

Ukraine’s future is in Europe and we expect to consider next steps for EU enlargement negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Progressing work on EU accession sends an important signal of hope for a brighter future to the Ukrainian people. It is also an important signal to Moldova, whose people also face destabilising activities on the part of Russia.

President Putin is a dictator as well as an aggressor. I was appalled at the sudden and unexpected death of prominent Russian opposition politician and anti-corruption activist, Alexei Navalny. While President Putin lives on into old age, it would appear his opponents die young. At our meeting, leaders will discuss the need for a full and transparent international investigation into the circumstances of his death. Ireland, along with our EU partners, has stated clearly that the responsibility for Mr. Navalny's death lies with Vladimir Putin. His death is a reminder of the oppressive nature of the regime that Putin presides over. The European Council will welcome new sanctions against Russia for its serious human rights violations.

Security and defence issues are increasingly at the very top of the EU political agenda. Earlier this month, the European Commission published a new European defence industrial strategy, along with a regulatory proposal for a European defence industry programme. While defence remains a national competence, these proposals aim to stimulate production and joint procurement and to allow the EU both to aid Ukraine and develop further its industrial base.

For Ireland, it will be important to engage maturely and constructively in these discussions. Our policy of military neutrality does not remove us from the global security environment or mean we should not work closely with our fellow EU member states to overcome these challenges. We should also identify the potential benefits to Ireland of the European Commission's proposals, particularly as we increase investment in the Irish Defence Forces. There also may be scope to identify opportunities for Irish industry and research institutions. At tomorrow's meeting, leaders will consider how to strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base across the Union through better co-operation, improved access to finance, the provision of opportunities for SMEs and combating labour and skills shortages.

Leaders will also return to the grave situation in Gaza. I will continue to press the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, a massive scale-up in humanitarian assistance and a process that can lead to a peaceful and sovereign Israel and Palestine living side by side. In my recent speech in Boston, I was unambiguous that civilians in Gaza cannot be subject to collective punishment for the appalling crimes of Hamas. This is a message I also brought to the White House, to Congress and to meetings with the US Administration last week. I will reiterate it to my European partners tomorrow and on Friday. We must demand the immediate and unconditional release of hostages. The EU must be robust and consistent in underlining that international law applies in all conflicts and to all parties, state actors and non-state actors alike. This includes Hamas and other terrorist Palestinian groups.

We should continue to emphasise the importance of all parties adhering to international humanitarian law and of the protection of civilians and aid workers. UNWRA alone has tragically seen more than 140 staff members killed in Gaza since 7 October, which is almost twice the total number of all UN staff killed worldwide in 2022. This cannot be accepted or normalised in any way. UNRWA remains the essential backbone of any humanitarian response in Gaza. The decision of the European Commission to release €50 million in funding to UNRWA, with a further €32 million to follow, is very welcome. The international community must stand up for UNRWA. All those who have paused funding should resume it and all states, including Israel, should cooperate fully with the UN investigation into allegations of the involvement of a number of UNRWA staff in the 7 October attacks in Israel. At the European Council, I will urge all of our European partners that have suspended aid to UNRWA to immediately reinstate their funding. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is desperate with famine now imminent. The European Council must urge and assist all efforts to scale up the delivery of aid by road as well as by sea and air. Crucially, Israel should not launch a ground offensive in Rafah, where more than 1 million people have fled for safety and to access humanitarian assistance.

We should also remember the situation in the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. The increase in settler violence and the construction of new settlements is alarming and it is incumbent upon the EU to combat these extremist actions. I hope that leaders will be able to agree measures to hold accountable those responsible for violent actions against innocent civilians in the occupied West Bank. Now is the time for us to send a strong signal of sustained and increased political solidarity to the Palestinian Authority and to the Palestinian people. This is important to ensure the EU is a credible actor in any future peace process. Ireland stands ready to recognise a Palestinian state with partners when it can contribute to progress. I expect to discuss this with like-minded partners in the margins of the meeting.

Following a discussion at the special European Council meeting in February and the meeting of the AGRIFISH Council on 26 February, leaders will take stock of the measures taken to deal with the major concerns and challenges in the agricultural sector. The European agricultural sector is under stress and it is important we act quickly to respond to the urgent needs of our farmers and rural areas. The European Green Deal and Fit for 55 package are necessary but there must be practical and innovative solutions to assist agriculture and rural communities and to work collaboratively with farmers. To effectively manage the issues in the sector, we must maintain our focus on an effective CAP which endorses sustainable food production for all our citizens, with farmers firmly at the centre. It is important that all European policies are coherent and they must understand and respect the important role of farmers. Food security and affordable food for our citizens should not be taken for granted.

At our meeting, leaders will take stock of preparations for the new EU strategic agenda for the period from 2024 to 2029. The strategic agenda will set out priorities for the years ahead in the areas of EU external relations, security and defence, energy challenges, our economic and social base, migration and the protection and promotion of EU values. I expect that the principal discussion on this matter will take place at the special European Council meeting in April, alongside consideration of whether internal EU reforms are necessary, particularly to accommodate enlargement. The European Council expects to conclude work on the strategic agenda in June.

In his remarks later, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, will consider the priorities for the 2024 European semester and the future of the capital markets union, the Euro Summit, enlargement, Bosnia and Herzegovina, migration, other foreign policy issues and Belarus. I will update the House again in April following this week’s meeting of the European Council.

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