Is it time to join Nato

Ireland might as well join Nato, since Russia likely has placed the country on their hit list. Cannot be neutral when you have taken a hostile position against Russia. The Irish leaders have taken this stance (they feel is right) in that case, here Irish citizens who disagree will have a chance to tell them their wrong ( at the next election) I don’t have any figures of what every Irish person thinks here about joining Nato, the real point is the Irish government has joined a western axis of assistance for Ukraine.

Russia's ballistic missile command under orders reprogram a few essential nuclear missiles to hit the Island of Ireland? Take a bit of work on their side. Would they bother doing it?

Countries in the west provide the logistics to help Ukraine fight Russia. Ukraine is not alone here. Essentially, a Nato war now.

Russia so far tolerated the arms supplies to an extent, but the more heavily advanced equipment they give Ukraine, the higher the risk and move closer to nuclear escalation. Do you really want to gamble Putin will back down if we gave Ukraine better weapons? The man attacked more of Ukraine to keep Nato away from Ukraine. Putin's army not going to leave Ukraine “ever” till he perceives the country in the sphere of Russia. Anything less than this aim is a humiliation  

Ukraine is the one country Putin would consider launching nuclear weapons for. How will the west protect itself from submarine launches or hypersonic nuclear-tipped launches? There are no defensive weapons in the western allied arsenal that can stop a hypersonic ballistic missile from reaching its target in the west.

Got to remember Crimea is part of Russia

Ukraine was to win the war in the east and south, by some miracle the threat to Crimea is existential then. Russia may go nuclear to stop the Ukraine army from advancing. I don't think get that to this stage. Russia has the military might to conquer Ukraine but will require a full declaration of war to do it.

Not enough military-aged men on the Russian side inside Ukraine to conquer it all from north to the west. Full mobilization could see millions of men crossing the border, Ukraine's army could not stop that kind of force. Taking over Ukraine would be a long-term project and nobody was sure that Putin goal. Think he would like the government to be replaced a more Russian friendly one but thats a different position.

Thats a flawed logic because the west is in ruins anyway after missiles are launched, Putin knows what firing nuclear missiles means here for the world.

Started giving Ukraine modern tanks, artillery anti-air, aircraft, then Russia would be forced to take them out and that couldn’t kick it all off.;

I don’t want WW3 over Ukraine that’s nuts, some people on this site seem to want to go there. Have e you got no future want that kind of war? What kind of life must you be living to want WW3 over this? Get out and check the scenery do want all that gone?

Rational thinking went out the window Putin is engaged in a new war against the state of Ukraine. The only outcome that will be acceptable for them is a win.

This is not Putin, but Russia’s state thinking.

Russia would only use nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an “existential threat,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN International Tuesday.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220322-russia-would-only-use-nuclear-weapons-faced-with-existential-threat-kremlin

Donbas Lugansk and Crimea before the new war got supported by the Russian state,

Crimea belongs formally to Russia ( Russian opinion). Ukraine attacked Crimea is this not an existential threat?

What happens if the weapons provided could change the course of the war? logistics are legitimate targets if used to supply your enemy remember.

Who's going to be in this EU defence force when everyone except Ireland and Austria are in Nato (in a couple of months)? Seems it's even less likely to happen than it has been before. And what is Ireland going to contribute to it? Might as well stay neutral then.

The problem is Russia has already launched unless you doing the preemptive attack. It only takes seconds to release them. There is very little chance of stopping the devastation. We know want war between the United States vs Russia means. The fact some people want that kind of war says something does it not?

I think that nobody wants such a war, that's why I'm confident it will never happen.

You haven't explained why you think we should end military neutrality?

It swings both ways, does Putin want to gamble that the US wont kill millions of russians if he launches nukes?

Neither side are going to break that deadlock, its absolutely irrational.

Putin trying to scare people with badly veiled threats doesnt change that, just makes him look desperate.

The only thing that would protect us if we were to go it alone would be a massive fleet of fighter jets, missile defense system, a large navy and nuclear weapons.

We would need an army the size of Ukraine's. And even they didn't have enough, considering weaponry is pouring into the country every day.

There's no point in having 5-10 fighter jets. They'll last about 5 minutes in a war, as they'll be blown up from a missile attack.

I think we should end military neutrality as we are and our future lies as part of the EU and as we have a clear stance and position on being a free and open society that believes in democracy and stands on that side in a wider sense. I believe that as part of the EU that we have obligations and duties to be part of the defense of those beliefs and principles as well as reaping the benefits that we have and continue to accrue due to our EU membership. That is why in terms of joining a military alliance I favour first joining a future EU defense force as well as upping our defense spending gradually until we get to 1.5% of our gdp.

I would say we have been quite clear. We are not neutral in this conflict and An Taoiseach has said so. We are neutral militarily yes but not otherwise. That is the countries current position. Personally I favour dropping our current military neutral status as well but that is not where we are right now.

The attitude both have shown since Russia has invaded Ukraine has been far from what it should be no question. I still support however the idea of having an EU defense force organised and Ireland being part of said forces. Currently we are also being selfish in refusing to contribute in any way at all from a military standpoint to the defense and security of Europe.

The fact Finland and particularly Sweden, who are big contributors to the EU battlegroup already, have determined that joining NATO is a better option speaks volumes.