Independent Senator, Sharon Keogan, has hit out at the idea of an EU Army, saying that she does not want Ireland to “send any our sons and daughters to die on the battlefield”.
She was responding to news reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had “urged European leaders to establish a European army to defend the bloc from external threats, particularly Russia.”
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky said that Europe could no longer rely on U.S. support in conflicts and said he really believed that the time has come for “the armed forces of Europe” to be created.
“…Three years of full-scale war have proven that we already have the foundation for a united European military force. And now, as we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe,” he said.
However Senator Keogan, rejected the idea, saying that “the answer is ‘No’ from Ireland. We will not send any of our sons and daughters to die on the battlefield for Zelensky” and highlighting Ireland’s traditional role of neutrality.
Speaking to Gript today, Senator Keogan said that she believed a European Army was always the goal of signing up to PESCO (the Permanent Structured Cooperation which is the part of the European Union’s security and defence policy) and that she had always been outspoken in opposing the creation of a European Army.
“I do not want our sons and daughter dying on battlefields in wars and conflicts that have nothing to do with us,” she said, saying the reality of the loss of life in war could not be ignored.
“We should not lose sight of our values – in certain EU quarters neutrality is unfashionable, but we need to look at our history and realise that we have always been neutral and peacekeepers,” she said. “We can lead by example in that regard”.
She added that she “fully supported” additional investment in the Irish Defence Forces, saying that it should be a priority for government.
Keogan was criticised by the Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration at Maynooth, John O’Brennan, who said that the Independent Senator “does not represent Ireland, in any way, shape or form.”
However, he was criticised in turn by those who pointed out that Senator Keogan had, in fact, topped the poll on the Industrial and Commercial panel in the recent Seanad elections, despite running as an Independent candidate. Amongst those supporting her was Independent Councillor Gavin Pepper who said that he did not want his children fighting in a war for Ukraine.
At the weekend, Taoiseach Michael Martin said that while Ireland continues to stand with Ukraine, “a European army isn’t on the agenda in that sense”.
“What Ukraine requires is security guarantees in the event of Russia trying to invade again in a few years’ time if there was an imperfect peace,” he said, adding that Ireland supported efforts to fast track Ukraine’s EU accession.
He agreed that Ireland needed to invest in enhancing defence capabilities. “I think people do get it, the necessity to enhance our capabilities,” said Mr Martin. “But there will always be limits to what a small country like Ireland can do. We are not a military nation or power and will not be.”