The Government is willing to contribute an extra €315 million to the EU's enhanced military package for Ukraine, sources have insisted.
This would be on top of the €100m already committed by the Government in recent weeks.
The €315m would be for non-lethal support.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris spoke by phone from the United States to the EU’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas to reassure her that Ireland wanted to be part of her drive to provide greater short term military support to Ukraine.
This follows President Donald Trump’s dramatic shift in US policy towards Ukraine, a shift which has included a temporary suspension of military and intelligence support.
Irish officials in Brussels have been mandated by Mr Harris to convey the support at tomorrow’s meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
If the overall military package is €20 billion, then Ireland’s contribution would be circa €315m.
In early March, the Tánaiste secured Government approval for a plan to provide €100m in non-lethal military aid, €80m of which will be committed to procurement partnerships with member states including Lithuania and Denmark.
Sources have suggested these partnerships will be determined by factors including capacity and speed of delivery.
Non-lethal items to be funded by Ireland would be identified in close co-ordination with Ukraine.
It is understood Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybhia told Mr Harris at their meeting on the margins of the Munich Security Conference on 15 February that the first priority was non-lethal elements of air-defence systems, such as radar.
It’s understood Ukraine would also welcome Ireland funding electronic warfare, such as jamming equipment as well as ISR (unarmed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) UAVs (drones) and armoured personnel carriers.
A further €20m of the €100m being proposed by the Tánaiste would go to the Ukraine Defence Contact Groups Coalitions, with €10m of this allocated to increase Ukraine’s de-mining capability by equipping and training dedicated de-mining battalions.
The other €10m will be to enhance Ukraine’s military capability in the areas of IT, communications, and cybersecurity.
