LONDON, February 17. /TASS/. The Irish authorities' claims that Russia allegedly poses a threat to their country is a dangerous illusion based on a false premise, Russian ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov told TASS commenting on the statements by Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Helen McEntee.
"One can only express regret about this mythology of both the current and previous governments of Ireland regarding the threat from the Russian Federation. Russia has never threatened Ireland or the people of Ireland, and everyone is well aware of this, including, I think, McEntee. But this is necessary. A similar thesis, like in the other countries, is used to justify a course towards militarization of the country and a gradual but quite clear integration into military and political programs, be it NATO or the European Union," the diplomat said.
"This is, of course, Ireland's sovereign right to determine its defense or security policy, but we believe it is obvious that decisions in this area should not be based on false assumptions. The thesis about the Russian threat is clearly such a false premise and a dangerous illusion."
On February 16, McEntee presented on the RTE TV channel a new strategy for Ireland's maritime security, claiming that Russia allegedly poses a threat to everyone.