Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence John Brady TD has welcomed the decision by the Russian Ministry of Defence to move their naval exercises out of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Teachta Brady said:

“I welcome the Russian decision to move their naval exercises out of our Exclusive Economic Zone.

“However, in order to de-escalate the situation on the Russian and Ukrainian border, it would have been best to cancel these excercises completely. That is what the Minister for Foreign Affairs should have pushed for.

“I hope that this marks a change in the government’s approach to all foreign countries carrying out similar military exercises in our Exclusive Economic Zone.

“Last year, in a similar exercise off the coast of Donegal fishermen were forced out off an area by British war ships; and there was no response from the Minister or the government when I raised serious concerns.”