Leo Varadkar has branded Vladimir Putin the “Hitler of the 21st century”.
The Tanaiste acknowledged that sanctions such as the potential banning of Russia from the Swift payment network would have economic implications for Ireland.
But he said those consequences needed to be accepted given the situation in Ukraine.
“I don’t think we’re in that space where we can be concerned about the economic impact on Ireland when a democratic country in the European Union is being invaded and the attempt is being made to overthrow a democratic government there,” he told RTE Radio One.
Mr Varadkar added: “The last time I can think of that happening in Europe is in the 1930s and I think we should see this conflict in that context. We knew that Putin was a bad man, we’ve known that for a long time now, but we didn’t think that he would be the Hitler of the 21st century and I think he’s putting himself into that space.”
Meanwhile, it is feared Putin may be planning to launch an invasion of the Baltic states – sparking a Europe-wide war, the UK’s Defence Secretary warned yesterday. Ben Wallace said the Russian leader “won’t stop” at Ukraine, with NATO members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia likely next in the firing line.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Wallace said: “Putin is not rational. He won’t stop after he’s [finished]... with Ukraine. He will use everything in the Baltic states. And we will have to stand up to it.” His comments came as the UK doubled the number of troops in Estonia, with armoured vehicles from the Royal Welsh Battle Group pictured heading there via Latvia. Britain is also sending tanks as part of NATO’s increased presence in Eastern Europe. There is also a British presence in Poland.
Mr Wallace repeated Britain would not send personnel to Ukraine, as that would also spark a much wider conflict. He said: “We’ve always supported Ukraine’s application to NATO over the last 15 years, not every country has wanted them to join.
“We’ve done the next best thing, which is train over 20,000 Ukrainians, provided them with lethal capabilities, which they are using right now. But I’m not putting British troops directly to fight Russian troops. That would trigger a European war, because we are a NATO country.”
The Baltic states have a turbulent history. They were occupied by the Soviet Red Army from 1944 having previously being invaded by the Nazis. In the late 1980s, there was a huge campaign of resistance dubbed the Singing Revolution.
Under Soviet leader Mikael Gorbachev, the process of independence started, and the last Russian troops left in 1994. Putin has long regarded Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as part of Russia, and never accepted their integration into the EU.
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