Paul Murphy accuses US of using Ukraine to weaken Russia

Thanks. From the outset of Putin's criminal invasion of Ukraine, we pointed out that the US involvement here was not driven by any concern for self-determination, for the interests of ordinary Ukrainian people, but instead was driven by their own strategic interests. That has become undeniably clear under Trump, where it's clear they're only interested in Ukraine, insofar as the people of Ukraine can be used to weaken Russia, and then to carve up Ukraine for their own aims. You look at the blackmail deal by Trump to rob the minerals from the Ukrainian people, while agreeing to Russia taking much of the land. You look at what's happening in Europe, where re-arm Europe is being used to... It's a joke, really, the term, because obviously military expenditure has driven, has gone up year on year for the past decade, but it's being used to suspend the fiscal rules, not to build homes, not to tackle healthcare crises across Europe, not to help people crippled by the cost of living crisis, but no, to give more money to the arms companies fuelled by death and destruction. It's why people came together two weeks ago in a powerful meeting to defend neutrality, to defend the Tripolock, and they're going to be on the streets on Saturday, the 14th of June, at 2pm. Could you outline the timing of your plans to expand the Tripolock? Deputy Murphy raised Russia's criminal enterprise in terms of its invasion of Russia, and then moved quickly to the US. The US did not invade Ukraine, and the US did not start this war. The US has supported Ukraine quite extensively, more than anybody else, and without the US support. It's quite clear that Russia's criminal enterprise would have, to all intents and purposes, would have worked, and he would be in control of the entirety of Ukraine by now, if it wasn't for US intervention. And then the support of other European countries, like France and the United Kingdom, and others like Denmark, for example, who made very significant contributions, to the Ukrainian military enterprise. And also make the point that the, I think you used a phrase that Europe was being, was deliberately using military expenditure to suspend fiscal rules. That's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not. I think you used a phrase that Europe was being, was deliberately using military expenditure to suspend fiscal rules. That's not the correct definition of what has occurred, or characterisation of what has occurred. There are many member states on the eastern flank, particularly in the Baltics, who feel an existential threat from Russia. Financially and fiscally, they're not as strong as others. and they feel they need supports they feel they cannot defend themselves or strengthen their military and defensive capability without having military expenditure by those countries taken out of the fiscal rule framework so that's the motivation it's a realistic sorry but if you live in Estonia or if you live in Poland or if you live in Lithuania or if you live in Latvia the daily fear the number one overriding consideration is do we continue to exist as a country a sovereign country how do we protect our territorial integrity because of what history has taught them and what they've experienced historically and in terms of what they fear and you can't tell them what they should be afraid of no more than I can but I can tell you that is what they're afraid of above and beyond everything else and that is why they're spending far higher percentages of GDP on defence than we are or than we ever will thank you Taoiseach you know why ok there you do but it's so important I won't tell you if you heard or not things in this case are not today actually and what don't they deserve to be asked for just don't follow Over... if you've got a application of the using weed I don't hear anything that's wrong I just need to use to avoid what don't let you make a inspection as a private ow did this I mean