[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Ireland, which maintains military neutrality and has not joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has announced that it can participate in the European Union's (EU) Rapid Response Force.
According to major foreign media on the 21st (local time), Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney expressed his willingness to participate in an interview with the public broadcaster RTE, saying, "I think the Rapid Response Force will be a good opportunity for Ireland to participate."
On the same day, EU defense and foreign ministers adopted a new joint defense policy centered on establishing a Rapid Response Force of up to 5,000 personnel by 2025. The Rapid Response Force was approved as part of the so-called "Strategic Compass." The Strategic Compass is a plan to strengthen the EU's security and defense by 2030, which has been under discussion since November 2020.
Minister Coveney emphasized the justification for Ireland's participation in the Rapid Response Force, stating that Ireland has also been involved in and shared the Strategic Compass discussions that have continued for the past two and a half years.
Following the confusion during the evacuation of European citizens from Afghanistan last year and Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month, voices within the EU calling for an EU-level joint military force have grown louder.
In 2007, the EU established a standing military force capable of military operations with a size of 1,500 personnel. However, the standing force at that time was never deployed in actual operations and eventually faded away.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
