LAST UPDATE | 2 Oct 2023

Niall O’Connor reports from Kyiv:

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN Affairs and Defence Micheál Martin TD has said the presence of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv is a “very powerful symbol” of the EU’s support of Ukraine and its people. 

Martin was speaking to reporters in Ukraine’s capital this morning and outlined that discussions will focus on “sustainable” funding for Ukraine “in the long-term”. 

An Tánaiste arrived in Kyiv this morning after travelling by train from Poland. He is being accompanied by a garda close protection team.

Questions in the US around its ongoing financial support of Ukraine has led to some partisan political fighting. In Slovakia yesterday, the populist Smer-SD party, which is critical of military aid for Ukraine, was the victor in the country’s elections.  

Martin, however, said that the EU’s support is unwavering.  

“I’m looking forward to our discussions today, which would centre on a sustainable approach to supporting Ukraine in the long-term, both financially in terms of the macro-financial facility, and also in the medium-term in the European peace facility approach,” he said. 

Ireland has been very supportive from the beginning of the Ukraine application to join the European Union, we support enlargement and we’re looking forward to ongoing discussions in relation to that.

“We’re also taking the opportunity to meet with a number of United Nations organisations and agencies here in Ukraine, because recently we announced a further package of €23 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which brings our overall support package now to about €210 million.”

He added: “We want to talk to agencies on the ground who are distributing those funds, and also to meet with Irish citizens who are working in the EU civil mission here, and also in the various UN agencies.” 

Asked by The Journal about Irish troops training Ukrainian soldiers in military competencies, Martin said such training would be expanded. 

Yes, we’ve engaged in a number of training with EUMAM in respect of medical combat, and in terms of de-mining training, and we have a number of other programmes identified where our personnel will also provide training, and that will expand that yes. 

The Tánaiste is expected to take part in meetings with the country’s prime minister and foreign minister as part of the one-day visit. 

He’ll also meet with UN partners whose work in Ukraine the Irish State is supporting, as well as members of the Irish community.

Today’s meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Kyiv is the first beyond the EU’s borders, something Martin described as “symbolic”. 

“It’s a very powerful symbolic presence of the entire Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, in the context of Ukraine’s application to join the European Union and the Ukrainian European perspective, that is a very powerful symbolic presence by European foreign ministers here,” he said. 

“I think that in itself, in terms of indicating and making it clear to the Ukrainian people that we stand foursquare behind them, and also that we see their perspective as European Union perspective.”