People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, to use Ireland’s position on the UN Security Council to urge NATO and the EU to “stop the sabre rattling” and calm tensions as Russia signals a de-escalation of troop build-up on the Ukraine border.
The TD said that it was clear that, despite the indications from Moscow that Russia would scale back its troop numbers on the Ukraine border, that NATO and the EU were continuing to talk up the possibility of conflict.
He said: “It is important, now that Russia has indicated that it will scale back its military operations on the Ukraine border, that NATO and the EU drop the sabre rattling which is doing little more than inflaming the current situation.
“I would appeal to Minister Coveney for Ireland to use its position on the UN Security Council to push NATO and the EU to stop this unhelpful and dangerous rhetoric and move to calm tensions.
“Neutrality should mean not taking sides as two military blocs compete with each other over spheres of influence.
“Sadly, our government, instead of warning both sides against escalating military tensions, has been entirely one-sided refusing to say a word of criticism of NATO’s expansion.”