Paul Murphy Questions Government Over Rammstein Meeting, NATO Role
Paul Murphy asked whether the government participated in the fifth meeting of the Ukraine defence contact group at the Rammstein US airbase and whether the role it envisages is one of allying with and participating in NATO. He stated opposition to Putin's invasion while also opposing any use of that invasion to drive militarisation or to undermine Ireland's neutrality.
Key question
Paul Murphy raised the status of Ireland's role in the world and asked the Taoiseach if that role meant allying with NATO. He specifically asked whether the government participated in the fifth Ukraine defence contact group meeting at the Rammstein US airbase, noting the US Secretary of Defense's comments about intensifying support for Ukraine and strengthening the NATO alliance.
Government response
The Taoiseach said he was not aware of the specific meeting in question and rejected the analysis that the war on Ukraine is being used to drive militarisation via NATO. He argued that no one wanted the war except Vladimir Putin and stressed that European leaders had tried to prevent the conflict.
Security consequences cited
The Taoiseach framed closer ties to NATO as a response to an unprovoked invasion, saying neighbours and the continent have to take note and take extra measures to protect themselves. He noted Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO and referenced discussions with the Finnish prime minister and president, who saw the invasion as a decisive change.
Regional anxiety and public preference
The Taoiseach pointed to heightened anxiety in countries such as Estonia, Poland and the Baltic states as a natural response to Russia's actions. He added that the vast majority would have preferred never to find themselves in this situation, underscoring the tension between defence measures and debates about neutrality and militarisation.
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The annual report speaks about the role of Ireland in the world so I'd like to ask the Taoiseach whether the role he envisages is one of allying with and participating in NATO and I'd like to ask the Taoiseach whether the Irish government participated in the fifth meeting of the Ukraine defence contact group which took place at the Rammstein US airbase in Germany which also happens to be where the NATO headquarters and military headquarters are based and to quote the US Secretary of Defence after the meeting he said I'm extremely proud of the progress on the discussion to intensify our efforts to support Ukraine okay and strengthen our NATO alliance speaking there about the 50 countries which attended to be clear and we have been clear and consistent throughout we're absolutely opposed to Putin's imperialist invasion of Ukraine we're also opposed to the attempt to use that horrific invasion to drive militarisation to undermine what's left of neutrality here and to try to rebuild the idea of joining NATO it's very clear from that approach by the US Secretary of Defence that's what the aim that's what's happening here did the Irish government participate In relation to the question by Deputy Murphy I'm not aware of the specific meeting in question but I would say this to you that I don't believe you're correct in your analysis that people are using the war on Ukraine to drive militarisation of the world on NATO Personally I personally I think it's a perverse analysis because nobody wanted the war on Ukraine except Putin I mean members of European countries like Germany the Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Emmanuel Macron did everything they possibly could to prevent the war to stop a war but war has consequences deputy When a person or when a leader wages a war in an unprovoked fashion in a brutal fashion on a neighbouring country simply because he believes the country doesn't exist and is kind of possessed by some sort of 19th century imperialist view of the world then the neighbours of that neighbour have to take note the continent has to take note you just can't have an endless sort of continuance of that policy and that is why people are taking extra measures to protect themselves closer Closer to Russia unfortunately and it's why Finland and Sweden have applied to join it because they see it and I met the Finnish Prime Minister and President balanced reasonable people who have navigated a relationship with Russia for a long long time But their view was this brutal invasion of Ukraine changed everything All their what they were told in their childhood the ultimate fear came to be realised in the invasion people in Estonia Poland Baltics more generally all very anxious and worried about what happened And that's that's the natural response that has occurred And I think most people the vast vast majority of people obviously would have preferred if this never happened Or we didn't find ourselves in this situation
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