Ireland and Ukraine Weigh Joint Drone Production at Dublin Summit
Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have indicated they may cooperate on producing unmanned drones, as about 50 European leaders meet in Dublin to discuss security, Ukraine and hybrid threats.
Ireland and Ukraine are considering co-production of unmanned drones, as about 50 European leaders meet in Dublin for a two-day security-focused summit. Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have indicated they may cooperate on production.
The talks come as Ireland chairs the EU presidency until the end of the year. Its main showpiece events, the European Political Community (EPC) and an informal meeting of the European Council, are taking place this week.
Security reshaped by the war
Martin told the leaders that Europe's security environment has been "fundamentally reshaped" by Russia's war in Ukraine. He called it a "brutal war of aggression".
"What is happening in Ukraine goes against all of our values and all of what we stand for," he said. He also told reporters that many EU member states feel "an existential threat" because of the war.
Attendees include European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte. A handful of no-shows is expected, including Turkey, which is hosting the COP31 climate summit.
Zelensky questions US-Russia talks
Addressing the EPC, Zelensky said Europe must "pay attention" when Americans and Russians discuss security guarantees. In his view, the talks are about more than guarantees for Ukraine.
He described them as "some kind of new security framework between Europe and Russia" and said Kyiv finds the approach "a bit strange". He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin's wars reflect "his attitude toward others", not a confrontation with Europe that was impossible to avoid.
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are flying to Dublin to update Zelensky on their talks with Putin. Martin said discussions on a single European voice at US meetings with Russia on ending the war will "happen on the margins" of the summit. He said he hopes for progress.
Agenda and security operation
The EPC is an informal forum set up in 2022, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and meets twice a year. This summit's theme is "Europe – strong, secure, and connected".
Leaders will discuss economic security, Ukraine, hybrid activity in Europe and democratic resilience. Hybrid attacks are loose terms for non-military pressure, such as cyber attacks, sabotage or misinformation.
Irish police, the gardaí, are running the largest security and policing operation in the history of the state. They are supported by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, police from Latvia and Portugal, and other agencies, though foreign officers are not on frontline duty.
Parts of Dublin city centre are closed and traffic has been widely disrupted. The state has also dealt with several bomb threats, including hoaxes, against schools and media organisations in recent days.
