The Prime Minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin, has drawn attention to the security situation facing Europe, speaking of a “pattern” of Russian behavior in Eastern Europe and warning of “a certain degree of naivety in Ireland in this regard”.
“We had a very serious discussion about the threat that Russia currently poses to the European Union and to the member states of the European Union, especially in terms of violating the airspace of a quite large number of European member states. If we consider everything that has happened in recent weeks and months, a clear pattern emerges regarding drone incursions, maritime activity around cables, and undermining politics and politicians in various member states. And it seems to me that there is a certain naivety in Ireland in this regard. Certainly, member states and countries in Eastern Europe, especially the Baltic states, feel this threat and consider it existential,” stated Matin, in the context of his participation in the European Political Community summit, after the informal meeting of the European Council, thus showing the difference in perception among Europeans when it comes to the threat posed by Russia.
An ECFR survey published in June revealed that 59% of Romanians fear that the third world war could break out or that the Russian war in Ukraine could expand.
Recent security incidents caused by Russia have also raised concerns among Germans, who fear, according to a survey from mid-September, a potential attack by Moscow on a NATO country.
Europe is in “the most difficult and dangerous situation since the Second World War”, more serious than during the Cold War, signaled the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, calling for unity and a European approach to security, in line with the opinion of the Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who believes that the EU must be a defensive power, not just a trading bloc.
According to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the military capabilities plan within SAFE is expected to be revealed in two weeks.