Security for Zelensky-US meeting ‘very challenging’ – Irish police chief

Ireland’s police chief has described a last-minute major security operation to facilitate a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and two US envoys as “very challenging”.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said notice of the meeting between Mr Zelensky, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at Baldonnel Aerodrome, on the outskirts of Dublin, came at “very short notice”.

The “really significant” security operation included counter-drone operatives, a sniper team, close protection teams and tactical teams.

The three men met to discuss a prisoner exchange deal after discussions with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Kelly said that gardaí and the Defence Forces were involved in transferring Mr Zelensky to Baldonnel from the Convention Centre in Dublin, where he had been attending the European Political Community meeting.

Mr Kelly told reporters on Friday: “Yesterday’s meeting between President Zelensky and the US envoys, that was a very challenging security operation. Of course, it came at very short notice.

“We weren’t aware of it but part of our planning for these meetings was, we would have contingency in place, we would be ready to deal with dynamic situations like this.

“We had to get President Zelensky out there and work out the timings so he could meet the two US envoys. We secured the location.

“Obviously really significant security operation there, counter-drone, sniper team, close protection teams, tactical teams in place.

“We have to work very closely with US colleagues and Ukrainian security delegates as well. The meeting went well and everyone returned to their aircrafts and left the country.”

Mr Kelly also said that Gardaí responded to a hoax device, which had been reportedly left at a transport centre in Dublin.

Gardaí also deal with hoax bomb threats, which Mr Kelly described as “not credible”.

“It shows you that there is people trying to continue to disrupt these high-level meetings, but these are things we anticipated in the planning,” he added.

Some 200 people were involved in the counter-drone team, but Mr Kelly said there was “very little” drone activity in the area around the National Gallery, where Taoiseach Micheál Martin hosted a dinner for the heads of state.

Speaking from the Garda Strategic Command Centre, Mr Kelly added: “From a policing and security perspective, yesterday went very well.

“I want to commend all the gardaí involved. We managed a number of relatively small protests which had no impact on the EPC.

“The security escorts of 50 heads of state from different locations and venues to and from the Convention Centre was highly complex with a lot of moving parts, but we managed very well.

“Today, our operation continues, protecting the informal meeting of the European Council.

“I want to thank the public for their continued patience and support.

“I also want to thank all the state agencies and bodies with whom we had excellent co-operation.”

He said road closures will be removed and returned to normal “as soon we can”.