During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Dublin on 8 December 2025, several unidentified drones were detected flying over Dublin Bay and near Irish Naval Service vessels operating in the Irish Sea, approximately 10 kilometers offshore east of Howth and Dublin Bay. The Irish Naval Service ship LÉ William Butler Yeats recorded extensive video footage of the drones, which hovered over the vessel for an extended period. The drone activity coincided with the presidential plane's arrival around 11pm and was considered a coordinated threat to EU and Ukrainian interests. The vessel had entered Ireland's exclusive economic zone approximately 12 hours before President Zelensky's arrival and loitered there for three days. The ship was previously suspected of involvement in a Baltic Sea subsea cable sabotage incident earlier in 2025 but was released after investigation. The Irish government, including the Minister for Justice and the Taoiseach, confirmed the incident is under thorough investigation by An Garda Síochána's Special Detective Unit, with coordination at senior levels including the National Security Council. Ireland plans increased spending on counter-drone and cyber defense technology ahead of its EU Presidency in mid-2026. The episode forms part of a pattern of escalating hybrid threats involving drones against EU and Ukrainian interests across multiple European countries since the war in Ukraine began.

During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Dublin on 8 December 2025, several unidentified drones were detected flying over Dublin Bay and near Irish Naval Service vessels operating in the Irish Sea, approximately 10 kilometers offshore east of Howth and Dublin Bay. The Irish Naval Service ship LÉ William Butler Yeats recorded extensive video footage of the drones, which hovered over the vessel for an extended period. The drone activity coincided with the presidential plane's arrival around 11pm and was considered a coordinated threat to EU and Ukrainian interests. The vessel had entered Ireland's exclusive economic zone approximately 12 hours before President Zelensky's arrival and loitered there for three days. The ship was previously suspected of involvement in a Baltic Sea subsea cable sabotage incident earlier in 2025 but was released after investigation. The Irish government, including the Minister for Justice and the Taoiseach, confirmed the incident is under thorough investigation by An Garda Síochána's Special Detective Unit, with coordination at senior levels including the National Security Council. Ireland plans increased spending on counter-drone and cyber defense technology ahead of its EU Presidency in mid-2026. The episode forms part of a pattern of escalating hybrid threats involving drones against EU and Ukrainian interests across multiple European countries since the war in Ukraine began.