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Ireland is upset about the location of Russia’s war games, Moscow is moving the fleet. PHOTO/Reuters
Originally, the 3-8 February war games were to be held 240 kilometers southwest of Ireland – in international waters, but within Ireland’s exclusive economic zone. Ireland is a member of the 27-nation European Union but is not a member of NATO.
Read: At odds with Russia, Ukrainian troops practice firing anti-tank launchers
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney this week objected to the war games. Moreover, the exercise was held amid tensions between Russia and the West due to the Ukraine crisis.
“This is not the time to escalate military activity and tension in the context of what is happening with and in Ukraine. The fact that they chose to do so on the western border, off the coast of Ireland, is something we don’t think is acceptable,” Coveney said.
The Russian embassy in Ireland on Saturday posted a letter on Facebook from Ambassador Yuriy Filatov, who said the drills would be moved outside the Irish economic zone “with a view not to hinder fishing activities.”
Read: After Su-35 fighter jets, Russia deploys 12 Pantsir-S missile systems to Belarus
The decision is a rare concession amid rising tensions over the deployment of 100,000 Russian troops near the border with Ukraine and Russia’s demands that NATO pledge never to allow Ukraine to join the alliance, stop the deployment of NATO weapons near Russia’s borders and withdraw its troops from Europe. East.
The US and NATO formally rejected the demands this week, although Washington outlined areas where discussions might take place, offering hope that there may be a way to avoid war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made no public statement about the Western response. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that left little chance of reaching a deal, although he also said Russia did not want war.
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