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LAST UPDATE | 25 Jan 2022
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has described the situation between Russia and Ukraine as “serious”, as he confirmed that Irish people are now advised to avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine.
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Martin said Ireland was “not politically neutral but militarily neutral” and that Russia’s massing of troops on the border with Ukraine was not justified.
Earlier today, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that he was “not aware” of any plans for the use of Irish airspace or airports for transport of troops or weapons to Ukraine.
The United States, Britain and Baltic states have already agreed to send weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, amid fears that Russia will invade its eastern European neighbour.
Speaking today, Martin said that Ireland stands for “a rules-based international order”.
“The broader issue concerning the situation with Russia and Ukraine a serious. We appeal for a de-escalation of tensions in respect of the massing of thousands and thousands of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border. Fundamental principles that Ireland holds are at stake here, including that of a rules-based international order. That is what Ireland is about,” he said.
I refer as well to principles such as the territorial integrity of states, democracy and peaceful co-operation. Ireland wants a diplomatic resolution to not just this situation but also the illegal annexation of Crimea. This is the Irish position. We have updated our travel advice, and we are recommending that Irish people avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine.
He added: “Ireland accepts Ukrainian territorial integrity as I said earlier, our principles and approach to the Russian-Ukrainian situation is first of all, accepting of course and adhering to that fundamental rules-based international order, that’s the essence of Ireland’s independent foreign policy. We’re not politically neutral but we’re military neutral. It’s an important distinction. We’re members of the European Union. We work with our European Union colleagues in terms of rules-based multilateral approaches to international disputes.”
The Journal reported on Saturday that the Irish government had received a warning of a major exercise by the Russian navy and air force in the Atlantic off the south west coast planned for the first week of February.
The area earmarked for the exercises is in international waters but is within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone and is patrolled by Irish Naval ships and Air Corps Casa aircraft.
Since the story broke on Saturday, the Russian ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov, has tried to dismiss concerns about the tests, saying such exercises are held on a regular basis.
However, security experts have said that Russian exercises are the equivalent of Moscow “giving two fingers to Nato, the EU and the US”.
Addressing the planned Russian exercises today, An Taoiseach said they were “not welcome” even though they are “legally and technically” permitted.
Martin also disagreed with Filatov’s assessment, saying the planned exercises are “not a regular occurrence at all, despite what has been said.”
Labour leader Alan Kelly TD raised concerns about plans by Irish fishers to take a flotilla of boats to the area when the Russian exercises are taking place and he asked the Taoiseach whether he would “send the Irish Naval Service to accompany the group”.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett said the government has rightly condemned Russian actions in eastern Europe but has not criticised “a clear agenda by NATO to expand eastwards”.
He added: “Why does the government correctly condemn Russian military exercises in Irish waters but allow the US military to use Shannon Airport every single day of the week to prosecute wars across the world and kidnap and torture people in its rendition programme? We do not condemn that.”
‘Not linked’
Speaking to reporters today, Varadkar said the government does not believe the Russian naval exercises in the Atlantic and the tensions in eastern Europe are linked.
“We got a very comprehensive briefing at Cabinet today from Minister Coveney in relation to the situation involving Russia, Ukraine. It is very serious. There is a real fear that we could see a land war on the continent of Europe and we haven’t seen that for a very long time,” he said.
Today, we’re coordinating our response, of course, with our European partners, under UN partners, the Russian exercises off the coast of Cork and Kerry, while not illegal, are not welcome. But we don’t believe that they’re connected to the events in Russia and Ukraine, but we certainly would prefer that they were not happening and that message is being conveyed to the ambassador.
Varadkar said that he “not aware” of any plans for the use of Irish airspace or airports for transport of troops or weapons to Ukraine.
An Tánaiste said there has been no discussion of sending Irish troops to the region and that if Ireland took part in any mission the triple-lock system would apply and a UN mandate would likely be required.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, briefed the Cabinet on the situation at the Russian-Ukrainian border and on the naval exercises off the Irish coast at a meeting this evening.
Coveney has told the Russian ambassador in Ireland that this activity is not welcome.
Russia, under international law of the sea can undertake military exercises in international water, but the fact that they’re choosing to do it on the western borders of the EU, off the Irish coast, is not welcome and not wanted.
Ambassador Filatov said, despite the fears of the international security community, there was nothing to worry about and that members of the Department of Foreign Affairs had been briefed on the matter.
The Russian ambassador said that Ireland wasn’t the choice for these exercises, but this is the space for naval training for other areas, including Russia.
“There is no Irish connection here whatsoever,” he said.
He also said he does not believe there will be any harm to infrastructure, marine life, air traffic or maritime traffic as a result of the exercises.
He added that there is “nothing surprising, nothing sensational” about the military exercises.
- With reporting by Garreth MacNamee
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Runs Defence Forces into the ground, then says nothing to worry about…
@Gavin Tobin: there is nothing to worry about…
@Gavin Tobin:
@Gavin Tobin: ireland has been military neutered
@Seamus Mac: *militarily
Ever since Leo uttered these sage words, ‘We need to balance that one person’s rent is another person’s income’, I haven’t trusted a word he says. In this one sentence, he showed how disconnected he is from the real world…
@ImYourNumber1Fan: or the time (before he came out) he said two men shouldn’t be allowed have a baby. He’s a snake to the core.
@ImYourNumber1Fan: FFG are SFA use no back bones
@ImYourNumber1Fan: That quote is my generations problem in this country in a single sentence.
It’ll be replayed for decades and become as iconic as Haughey’s ” we are living way beyond our means” in time.
@Cat K.: Hard to disagree with him on that one.
@Dave Johnston: if that’s your opinion then I feel sorry for any child under your care. Ya auld dinosaur
Russia are doing that exercise to show they have dominance over Europe and it is slap bang in between the US and EU. Give me a break Leo! This is directly connected.
@DANNNNNN!!!!!!!: Anyone know when the anti war protests at the Russian Embassy will be.
Will Ireland complain when NATO carries out exercise 20 or 50 or 100 kms from the Russian Border? Never nor would we complain if a Nato country tested a Nuc 200km of the coast. The Irish voice is parroting that of our master
@THINK Paddy THINK: correct
@THINK Paddy THINK: when Russia strikes and kills a few 100 innocent civilians in Ukraine. How are you going to spin that?
Like Leo would know. Suppose the info was leaked to him
@Des Houlihan: well if the info was leaked to him, everyone would know!
Putin is at odds with Biden over Ukraine. Biden is publicly and rightly proud to be of Irish decent. Putin organises a naval military exercise close to Ireland. Cop on Leo.
@Neil Neart: while Leo may be off the mark here I seriously doubt what you said factors into any Russian power projection exercise planning.
@Peazel: Don’t you know that the entire world centres around Ireland. Putin is planning this entire exercise after extensive research of Bidens family tree. Extensive discussions about it in the Kremlin.
@Neil Neart: we’re not that important…
It appears that Leo has now also appointed himself to the position of, Minister for not having a clue about geopolitics…
Leo How’s the criminal investigation going
Does anyone listen to the fella that’s under criminal investigation anymore.his credibility is shot
Haven’t heard from Leo the leak in ages and now he’s not been out of the media for days. Is this the Leo the Leak wave we are experiencing now.
Neutral ???? Usa troops flying through shannon via middle east ?? Neutral
@Joseph Duggan: troops yes, weapons no….those are routed a different way, and that is allowed. And if the Russians asked to refuel in Shannon, they would probably be let. In fact, Shannon probably has closer ties to Russia than the USA. It is purely a commercial thing.
@Joe_X: no point trying to explain that to some people. Yesterday some half wit was claiming US bombers were stopping off in Shannon on the way to bomb “The Yemen” So many simpletons on here.
Mystic Leo.
He would have made more sense if he kept his mouth closed!
What would ireland do if they were a danger? Send the propellor planes after them. Ha
@billy bound: cry neutrality and then send for the RAF as usual?
Does Leo believe himself I wonder? This comment isn’t much better than our neighbour saying “ I didn’t know it was a party”. Do any of them even care anymore if we know they are lying into our faces and treating us like fools because they know they just get away with it.
Leo isn’t known for being clever.
Speaking to Russians the point is this;
1. Hitler promised Stalin not to invade Russia – he did and 20mln Russians died in WWII. Napoleon did the same.
2. Stalin was not happy about this so pushed the Russian border West.
3. In 1991 under the perestroika agreement Nato agreed to stay a distance from the Russian border.
4. Nato broke the agreement.
5. Putin is trying to get Nato to stick to the agreement.
6. The only empires who invaded other countries were Uk, France, Holland with colonies all over the world and more recent history sees the U.S. getting into war with other countries.
7. Russia is only concerned with defending its terroritory.
8. Crimea has been in Russian hands since 1783 and Ukraine broke the agreement on Crimea so there was a vote there.
@Damian Moylan: complete and utter propaganda from Russia, we are free to say and read what we want here. Russia shut down every dessenting voice in the country. Look that up?
@Damian Moylan: why was my comment, refuting this rubbish removed????
@Damian Moylan: every single one of these points is factually incorrect. As I posted before but for some reason my post (reply) was deleted????
Are they not international waters
Oh my sweet summer child
@Patrick FitzGerald: looking for a discount on the price of gas.
We’re kinda half neutral , like.
As pointed out, it’s NATO’s weak link off the West of Europe. It’s a show of strategy to have the war games there. Russia know what they’re doing .
We can not be neutral if we allow armed Americans into Shannon Airport…
@John Mc Auley: actually, we don’t. The troops go through, their weapons go by a different route. It is one of the restrictions of allowing them hse the airport, along with every other country that routes military personnel through the airport. Also if you think Russia has never used it for the same reasons all I will mention is Aeroflot used to have a big presence around there from the 70s on. The fact that the milirary of any country uses it to refuel is a purely commercial issue, nothing to do with politics
Factually that statement is completely untrue. You really should go to Russia, learn the language, speak to the locals too might help you learn something about the region.
As they read the article about what Varadker said, did anyone else think of Jack Nicholson’s President character in “Mars Attacks”, as he tries to negotiate with the Martians with the line: “Why can’t we all just get along?” Doesn’t end well for him!
He just banned the blue shirts
Just reminds me I must dig out me Tipp flag . I think it could be our year .
Hontipp boy !
The Taoiseach lickin holes here doesn’t help our neutrality. The military/political neutral line he used is like Regina Dohertys “it’s not compulsory it’s mandatory” nonsense. They might think that works on the Irish public, but it absolutely will not work on a russian military arriving onto the coast.
have your say