IRELAND’S President Michael D Higgins has criticised a NATO warning that urged Europeans to develop a “wartime mindset” as the Russian-Ukraine conflict continues.
Mark Rutte, who is Secretary General at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to “wipe Ukraine off the map” and could come after other parts of Europe next.
In his claims, made at the Carnegie Europe think tank in Brussels, Mr Rutte urged NATO members to ramp up defence spending, adding “it is time to shift to a wartime mindset”.
“What is happening in Ukraine could happen here too, and regardless of the outcome of this war, we will not be safe in the future unless we are prepared to deal with danger,” he said.
During the conference, Mr Rutte further suggested that defence spending be prioritised by governments over “other spending items” such as health and social security funding.
President Higgins made the statement during the annual tree lighting ceremony at at an annual Christmas celebration held at Áras an UachtaráinThis week, as President Higgins gave his annual Christmas message, he said that was an “appalling suggestion”.
“In our Christmas cards each year, we emphasise the importance of peace,” he said.
“In every international document that means something in international law, it begins with peace, including the founding first paragraph of the United Nations Charter,” he explained.
“The value of life and of our civilisation is debased when people make comparisons solely on military strength and when diplomacy is regarded as something that is a lesser option to the production of ever-more deadly instruments of war,” he added.
“The Secretary General’s [statement] that Europe needs to develop a mind of war and further statement that increased defence spending should be achieved by sacrificing essentials in social protection and health – that is an appalling suggestion, mindful of the urgent and critical needs around food security.”
He added: “The UNESCO constitution states that peace begins in the minds of men. Rather than a concerted effort to build a mind of war, what is needed is the building of a mind of peace.”
The President’s statement was delivered at an annual Christmas celebration held at Áras an Uachtaráin, where children and members of the public were invited to watch as their Christmas tree lights were switched on.