Ireland will “push very strongly” for Ukraine’s early entry into the European Union, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said after meeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy at Shannon Airport on Thursday.
Mr Martin also described US president Donald Trump’s objective of ending the war in Ukraine as “noble” as he voiced Ireland’s backing for a “sustainable and durable” peace settlement in Ukraine.
The Taoiseach said that Ireland will help fund “robotic ground drones” allowing Ukraine to rescue and recover injured or dead soldiers on the frontline.
Mr Martin said Ireland also remained committed to supporting Ukrainian refugees who fled the conflict for a better life here.
‘It is so expensive in Dublin we decided to rent’: Swedish embassy returns to capital
Tenants who were ‘full of hatred’ followed and video-recorded neighbours, tribunal hears
‘I was 34 and all my friends were having kids... I was like: what am I waiting for?’
Consumers could face €1,000 increase in bills across energy, broadband and other areas from this week
Ireland will also help fund a programme to feed schoolchildren in war-torn Ukraine, as well as a “food for Syria programme whereby Ukrainian grain is now feeding and helping distressed Syrians, and of course, Ukrainian farmers are benefiting from that”, Mr Martin said.
Mr Zelenskiy stopped off at Shannon while travelling to the United States for a meeting with Mr Trump on Friday.
Mr Martin said Ireland would “push very strongly for an accelerated timeline in terms of Ukrainian membership of the European Union. He [Mr Zelenskiy] is very keen on that.
“It’s a priority because, in itself, it gives certain security guarantees to Ukraine but economically also it opens up very significant opportunities for Ukraine into the future.”
The Taoiseach said peace processes after wars “by definition ... are done in phases, and they take time. But president Trump is a president who has said peace is his objective. He wants to end these terrible wars and I think that’s a very noble objective in itself.”
Mr Martin added: “We have to work through the details, though, and that’s where a lot of discussion is on at the moment, within Europe.
“I think president Zelensky was appreciative again of the fact that Europe is now very clearly saying that it will be taking on more of the responsibility for security guarantees to Ukraine into the future, and for deterrence into the future, which he appreciates.
[ Kathy Sheridan: Zelenskiy embodies the sacrifice of his peopleOpens in new window ]
“The United Kingdom government has made that clear as well.”
Mr Martin said Mr Zelenskiy was very thankful to the people of Ireland.
“We discussed support by Ireland, financially, to Ukraine. I explained that our commitments under the European Peace Facility have been frustrated by Hungary’s decision to veto the deployment of the European Peace Facility fund, set up by the European Union.
“We are looking at alternative approaches to give financial aid to Ukraine and a number of ideas came up during the meeting.
“In particular, they have a comprehensive programme of feeding their children in schools, which is limited, and we’ve undertaken to support that initiative, and will work with Ukrainian officials in that regard,” Mr Martin said.
Mr Martin cancelled an expected trip to Belfast for the meeting with Mr Zelenskiy.
Ukraine said earlier this week that it had agreed a “framework” natural resources deal with the United States, something Mr Trump had declared a priority. The question of a security guarantee for the state amid any peace negotiations remains unresolved.
Mr Martin, meanwhile, told international leaders that Ireland would “say more, spend more and do more” on Ukraine in the new context.
Speaking by video-link to the conference in Kyiv marking the anniversary of Russia’s attack on the country, he said “the international rules-based order is ultimately the only basis” for the security of small countries like Ireland.
Mr Martin will visit Washington on St Patrick’s Day.
