Wars loom large over EU summit as Simon Harris makes Brussels debut as Taoiseach

Estonia's prime minister Kaja Kallas, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Greece's prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis meet Taoiseach Simon Harris in Brussels. Photograph: Olivier HosletLike young Lochinvar come out of the West, Simon Harris breezed into Brussels for his first EU summit as Taoiseach on Wednesday, the youngest member of Europe’s most exclusive club.

Asked by a reporter about his relative lack of experience at this level, Harris was having none of it: “Well I’ve been Taoiseach for just over a week, and it’s my second time in Brussels, I’ve had meetings with six European prime ministers, and I’ve met the three presidents of the European institutions. I’ve been a minister or minister of state for 10 years, I’ve sat around the Cabinet table for eight years, so I think I do bring a fair depth of governmental experience to this role.

Wars dominated the Wednesday night discussion. War in Gaza, possible war between Israel and Iran, war in Ukraine. Most of the time was spent talking about Ukraine – which dominates the thoughts of the central and eastern European countries in a way that is both understandable and yet entirely unappreciated in Ireland.

Source: Financial Digest (financialdigest.net)

Simon-Harris Ursula-Von-Der-Leyen Israel Gaza-Strip Ukraine-Crisis

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