Royal Navy warship to defend Ireland's EU meeting but barred from territorial waters

A Royal Navy warship will provide air defense protection for a major European Union security meeting in Ireland next week, but must remain outside Irish territorial waters due to constitutional restrictions on foreign military forces. The unusual arrangement highlights the tensions created by Ireland's policy of military neutrality as it hosts senior European officials amid heightened security concerns. The British air-defense frigate is being deployed at Dublin's request to support security for an informal meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers in County Wicklow on August 31 and September 1, 2026.