Irish Foreign Minister Coveney sees 'opportunity for a fresh start' as Boris Johnson quits as UK PM

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told France 24’s Europe Editor Catherine Nicholson that his government will respect whoever becomes the new prime minister in September.

On Ukraine, Mr. Coveney called for tougher sanctions on Russia, and to “increase the cost to Russia of continuing this war, because we know the humanitarian consequences of it […] This is extraordinary human suffering, we've got to find a way of bringing it to an end”.

This happened just a day after Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjarto visited Moscow to negotiate new purchases of Russian gas, as the EU as a whole moves to reduce its Russian gas imports.

Simon Coveney told France 24: "It's not welcome. The EU has committed to actually wean itself off a reliance on Russian oil and gas permanently”.

Produced by Perrine Desplats, Luke Brown and Isabelle Romero

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app