European Neutrals Then and Now

One consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been the decision of both the Finnish and Swedish governments to apply to join NATO. This decision will have a considerable impact on the nature of the debate surrounding security and defence policy in the few remaining neutral European states including Ireland.

From the end of the Second World War, European states including, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland have declared themselves neutral. In each place, the exact meaning of neutrality has differed markedly in terms of its practical implications and the nature of public debate surrounding it. In this paper written for the IIEA, Patrick Keatinge, Emeritus Professor at Trinity College Dublin, explores the development of the concept of neutrality since the Second World War, what neutrality means in both its European, and indeed, Irish contexts, and what the future may have in store for European neutrals.