Neutral Ireland is expected to expand cooperation with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries to respond to maritime threats. Ireland is a member of the European Union (EU) but is not a member of NATO.
According to Reuters and others on the 25th, Ireland's government announced its first maritime security strategy to pursue cooperation with NATO. Tensions have risen amid growing threats to Atlantic seabed infrastructure and increased activity by Russian reconnaissance ships in nearby waters, but Ireland has faced criticism that its own surveillance and defense capabilities are limited.
In fact, Ireland is cited as a country that spends little on defense compared with the size of its economy. Declaring military neutrality, it has kept investment in the defense sector to a minimum. In 2023, Ireland's defense expenditure was about 0.2% of gross domestic product (GDP), the lowest level in the EU and far below the member average for that year (1.3% of GDP).
The strategy also includes starting cooperation in the second quarter with countries participating in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) led by the United Kingdom. The Joint Expeditionary Force is a rapid-response security consultative body organized separately from NATO, with 10 countries participating centered on the United Kingdom: ▲ Denmark ▲ Estonia ▲ Finland ▲ Iceland ▲ Latvia ▲ Lithuania ▲ the Netherlands ▲ Norway ▲ Sweden.
The Joint Expeditionary Force also reportedly played a leading role in the recent Baltic Sea undersea cable-cutting incident, and Ireland plans to pursue cooperation in training and the identification and management of maritime risks through a flexible partnership known as "JEF+" instead of formal membership. Canada previously took part in Joint Expeditionary Force activities in this form.
In addition, the Ministry of National Defense of Ireland will strengthen national surveillance capabilities over the next two years by developing new radar systems, towed sonar, and automatic radio-transmitting buoys, while expanding the use of new technologies such as space-based surveillance, unmanned vessels, and maritime drones.
Experts say Ireland has reached an important turning point. Ed Burke, a professor of military history at the University of Dublin, said, "A year ago, I argued that Ireland should seriously consider joining or cooperating with the Joint Expeditionary Force," adding, "Moving this quickly is a meaningful step."
Some in particular argue that the neutral stance Ireland has upheld has hindered the expansion of its maritime defense capabilities. As a result, while relying significantly on support from NATO countries for maritime security, Ireland has faced structural limits such as a lack of information systems to receive classified intelligence, leaving it exposed to real-time threats.
The threats are not confined to the seabed. As drones suspected to be Russian have recently violated the airspace of several European countries, allegations emerged that a drone flew near the aircraft of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his state visit to Ireland last year. In response, ahead of a bilateral summit next month, Ireland has moved to revise its defense memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom and is holding talks with France to expand intelligence sharing.
Helen McEntee, Ireland's Minister of the Ministry of National Defense, said, "We will secure the necessary defensive capabilities by October this year, when we host the 8th European Political Community (EPC) summit," adding, "If necessary, we will actively seek progress through cooperation with allies."