There is “absolutely no risk” to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, when he returns here for a leaders’ summit during Ireland’s EU presidency, foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee has said. Ms McEntee, who is also minister of defence, added that she is “absolutely confident” that all 47 heads of state attending the summit will be safe and that An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces will have the resources to make sure it is a “hugely successful” presidency. Security sources said the action was to “test our defences” and let the country know: “This is just the start, just wait until the [EU] presidency." Speaking at the launch of Ireland’s first National Maritime Security Strategy, Ms McEntee said: “There’s absolutely no risk to President Zelenskyy. “We will have challenges in cyber space, in air space and at sea but we will have a plan in place with An Garda Síochána on land, and ourselves at sea, and Air Corps in the air," he said.

Source: Irish Examiner February 25, 2026 18:03 UTC