Ireland likely to be more open to collective defence after Ukraine invasion – Coveney

Ireland is likely to be much more open in future to collective defence following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said.

However he told an audience in New York on Monday evening that he did not think Ireland was “in the space of Nato membership”.

He said politics in Ireland were changing with regard to common security and defence from an EU perspective.

He added that the Russian attack on Ukraine reinforced the need to look at increasing military capacity in Ireland as proposed by the recent commission on defence and he would be bringing proposals to Cabinet in the months ahead.

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The Minister said in future there may be a greater appetite to spend more resources on defence as well as for co-operation with other EU countries and partnerships with Nato in some areas.

Mr Coveney pointed to cybersecurity, saying the attack on the HSE last year had originated “in the east of Europe” and had cost €130million to resolve. He said the cyberattack and events in Ukraine had shaken people into realising that being neutral did not mean they would be secure, stable and safe.

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York he said: “The approach that Ireland has taken which has been based on the Irish public believing that by being neutral Ireland can get along with everybody, and be a broker in conflict situations and can do things that perhaps Nato members cannot do as they are seen as partisan on certain issues. I think people are now questioning whether Ireland’s own security is as stable as we thought it was.”

Mr Coveney said Ireland was not neutral politically. He said the country was pro the European Union and its value system, was pro democracy, pro international law and pro women’s rights.

“Irish neutrality is effectively non alignment as [opposed to] not having opinions on things.”

Mr Coveney also said he believed Russian forces had engaged in war crimes in Ukraine.

He pointed to “the indiscriminate, unconscionable targeting of civilians, the probable use of cluster munitions, attacks on nuclear facilities and the thinly veiled threat of nuclear action.

“Across our screens, in real time, we’ve watched terrified children huddle in makeshift bunkers. City centres crumble under sustained shelling.

“We’ve seen the drawn, disbelieving faces of Ukrainian pensioners forced from their homes. And the stoic dignity of the sons and daughters who’ve stayed behind to defend them.

“We’ve marvelled at the measured calm – and immeasurable courage – of President Zelenskiy. A leader who inspires people, while his Russian counterpart only inspires fear.”

Mr Coveney said the EU was considering a fourth round of sanctions against Russia with an announcement possible in a few days .

He suggested items such as oil, coal, timber and gas were being looked at but there was no agreement yet.

He suggested while there may be a ban on the importation of all Russian energy products, some may face sanctions.

Mr Coveney also accepted the Irish aircraft leasing sector could be hit hard by the impact of EU sanctions as it had 470 planes on lease to Russian companies. He said on foot of sanctions, these leases should expire but the Irish companies were facing difficulties in securing the return of their aircraft.