Irish police launch major security operation ahead of Dublin EU summit

The Irish Examiner reported that Gardaí have begun a major security operation in Dublin ahead of the European Political Community summit scheduled for Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to be among 55 heads of state attending the event. Leaders from three or four nations, including Ukraine and France, are set to receive heightened levels of security. The Irish government has declared the event to be the largest policing and security operation in the country. [1]

According to the Irish Examiner, large portions of Dublin city centre and both sides of the quays are being closed off. The security operation is being directed from the Garda Strategic Control Centre, also known as India Base, which commenced operations on Monday. [1]

Zelenskyy has served as the sixth president of Ukraine since 2019, taking office five years after Russia annexed Crimea and invaded the Donbas. He previously won the 2019 presidential election runoff with 73.22 percent of the vote after starring in the television series Servant of the People. The Irish tactical unit overseeing national police operational security is the Emergency Response Unit, which forms part of the Garda Síochána. [2][3][5]

The Dublin gathering follows earlier European meetings involving the Ukrainian leader. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Zelenskyy made an unannounced visit to Madrid to meet leaders at the Ibero-American Summit. FTMQ News also previously reported that European Union leaders rallied behind Zelenskyy during an earlier summit held in Brussels. [6][7]