Taoiseach to meet Zelenskyy in Ukraine today amid recent intensification of Russian strikes

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN is in Kyiv on Thursday meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the European Union’s ongoing support for Ukraine.

The meeting comes after a deadly intensification in Russian strikes on Ukraine, which saw the country hit by four missiles of various types and 216 long-range strike drones overnight, Tuesday into Wednesday this week. 

They’re set to discuss the EU’s ongoing support for Ukraine under Ireland’s Presidency of the EU and the negotiations around Ukraine’s accession to becoming an EU member.

Martin is also set to visit the Ukrainian parliament to meet with its speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk, and he will meet with newly appointed prime minister, Serhii Koretskyi.

He will also meet members of the Irish community in Kyiv. 

Martin said the visit will is important to “underline the EU’s and Ireland’s continuing solidarity” with Ukraine. 

He “strongly condemns” the intensification of Russian attacks on the capital and other parts of the country in recent weeks and said support for Ukraine is a “central priority” for Ireland’s EU presidency. 

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“Ireland is strongly committed to advancing Ukraine’s path to EU accession,” the statement continued. Martin also pledged “further robust and targeted sanctions” on Russia. 

Zelenskyy and the Taoiseach last met when the Ukrainian president was in Dublin for the launch of Ireland’s EU presidency on 1 July. 

That meeting was dominated by questions about the investigation into the exports of Russian-owned Auginish Alumina plant in Co Limerick.

The Limerick-based plant is Europe’s largest supplier of alumina and has a Russian parent company.

An investigation by The Irish Times and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), published in March, reported that material from it is sent to Russian smelters, where it is converted into aluminium used to supply manufacturers of the missiles, tanks and aircraft in the war against Ukraine.

During his latest visit to Ireland, Zelenskyy said he was “really interested in the results of this investigation”. 

In a speech at Dublin Castle, Zelenskyy took aim at companies in EU countries “whose only purpose is to work for Russia”.

“I urge you to continue support through new European Union sanctions, and they are needed against Russia’s shadow fleet and against many of Putin still relies on to keep this war going,” Zelenskyy said.