Russia sees Ireland as a member of Nato

Russian Tu-95 bombers with a nuclear weapons payload flying along the Irish coastline should be a wake-up call that “neutral” Ireland is seen by Russia as a de facto member of Nato. EU leaders attend Nato meetings and, by EU membership, Ireland is no longer seen as a neutral country. 

Ireland has taken sides in the Ukrainian civil war so there should be no surprise if Russia sees harmless Ireland as a hostile nation.

Nato countries have armed al-Qaeda in Libya to overthrow Gaddafi. Nato countries armed the Free Syrian Army (FSA) that massacred whole Christian villages with unspeakable brutality.

One FSA leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, photographed with US Senator John McCain, is also one of the leaders of ISIS. Where are the sanctions on Nato for arming terrorists? Last October Michael Noonan and Wolfgang Schäuble expressed favour for a political union of Europe, citing Putin’s actions in Ukraine for hastening the cause of European integration.

I think the opposite is more likely. Putin may be lying when he says Russia is not supporting the Ukrainian separatists but the EU and Nato are lying on multiple levels. Europe is a powder-keg ready to blow and Ukraine is the detonator.

Ultan Murphy

Carewswood,

Castlemartyr,

Co Cork