Helen McEntee: Ireland Leads EU Unity on Ukraine and Peace

If I could, I'll start in the words of the Irish Presidency, Ní n-eart go churle chéile. And I was pleased to hear a number of our colleagues quote our phrase this morning. Of course, what it means is there is no strength without unity and really this gathering this morning of like-minded partners was a real testament to that spirit of international cooperation, solidarity and of strength in unity. Support for Ukraine, I've said this over the last number of days, is a horizontal priority for the Irish Presidency and that is why it was so important to have not just the EU27 present here, but also to have some of Ukraine's strongest supporters join us for today's meeting. Partners like the UK, Canada, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland who have done so much over the last few years to support our friends in Kiev and I thank them for joining us. I was particularly pleased also that we were joined by our Ukrainian colleague Andrii, importantly to hear directly from him as to the situation on the ground, particularly following what has been a devastating summer for him and for his country, but importantly also to show very clearly that we stand in full solidarity with Ukraine and as we did when President Zelensky visited, I assured Andrii of Ireland and the EU's unwavering support and solidarity for Ukraine in the face of what is continued brutal aggression. As Kai has said, Russia continues to show no interest in peace. There has been a clear escalation in attacks in recent weeks, setting new records for civilian deaths and targeting of energy infrastructure and indeed grain facilities. We utterly condemn these attacks and our sympathy and our solidarity are with the families of those people whose family members, friends and community members have been killed or injured. We remain united in our commitment to provide Ukraine with the political, financial and military support it's needed and these exact points were reflected in our discussions today. As Presidency, we will continue to advance Ukraine's EU accession path to secure the opening of further clusters, building on the progress that we have achieved together to date and we will keep pressure on Russia. Further work on robust sanctions will continue to deny Moscow the revenue and the means to continue its illegal war. Russia's campaign of hybrid activity continues to increase in scale and recklessness impacting many of us here in the EU. We stand in solidarity with Germany following the alarming incidents at Leipzig airport but also with many, many member states affected by Russia's attacks, including Estonia only earlier this week. This is very clearly not just about the security of Ukraine but of Europe as a whole. As Kai has mentioned, we discussed the situation in the Middle East, in particular latest developments in the Gulf. We discussed the importance of upholding freedom of navigation through the state of Ormuz very much in line and in accordance with international law. This is vital for the security of the region and of course for the global economy. The EU will continue to advocate for dialogue and for diplomacy, which is the only way to bring lasting stability and security in the region. We of course also discussed the catastrophic situation in Gaza and the West Bank and it's hard to say but since our last meeting in July, the crisis has deteriorated even further. We continue to witness violent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and communities. I have condemned in the strongest possible terms, as many colleagues have, the decision by the Israeli government to publish a tender for the construction of more than 1,200 housing units under the E1 settlement project. This settlement poses not just a risk but a fundamental threat to the two-state solution, the only viable solution for a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis. I made the point today that the EU must be prepared to respond decisively to acts that violate international law and further erode the prospects of peace. This includes moving forward with action at EU level to ban trade with illegal settlements. We have moved in Ireland, I have enacted legislation to this effect that will come into effect on the 15th of September and would encourage that the EU moves together on this same matter. The two-state solution is the only way to secure lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians for the wider region and of course our discussions on Lebanon as yesterday, it's very clear that there is a commitment from the EU to ensure that that presence remains on the ground, particularly in a post-unifil era. There was a timely discussion ahead of the UN High Level Week which takes place just in the next three weeks' time. I want to acknowledge the leadership that Kaya and her team provides and the work of the EEAS and the EU delegations right across the world. Our sustained support for Ukraine, our pressure on Russia is just one example of what we can achieve when we act in unison. While there are many things that we do well, there are always things that we can improve on to ensure that we maximise our collective impact and that we deepen our influence. Kaya has set out the next steps and we look forward to working with her and indeed colleagues to support this work. There is a very clear message from our discussions today. While there is diversity in our relationships, our experiences, our perspectives across 27 Member States and through the work of the EEAS, there is a real strategic asset there by drawing on all of our strengths and indeed our differences, we can enhance the EU's effectiveness and reach, including in the multilateral sphere. And so, as a community founded on law, upholding the UN Charter, the multilateral system, human rights, international law and the international legal order are fundamental interests for the EU. The EU27 declaration that we have adopted today seeks to send a very clear signal of our unwavering commitment and support for the multilateral system, with the UN at its core and indeed the ICC, and our readiness to work with partners to address the shared challenges facing the global community. Finally, if I could, as I have an opportunity now just to thank each and every one of you for being here over the last number of days for your engagement, can I thank all of the staff at Druid's Glen. It's been a hectic few days, but they have really been absolutely excellent to the local community, to thank them for their patience, to my own departments, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Defence, and indeed to our many members of An Garda Síochána, our Defence Forces and OPW for all of their support as well.