TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN reiterated Ireland’s “steadfast support for Ukraine and its people” during a call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this evening.

According to a statement from the Taoiseach’s office today, Martin and Zelenskyy spoke over the phone and had a “warm engagement” ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy is set to host an online summit with European leaders next week after US President Donald Trump reached out to Russia and feuded with the Ukrainian leader this week. 

EU leaders rejected baseless claims made by Trump that Zelenskyy was an unpopular “dictator” and replied with anger against the American President’s claims that Ukraine were at fault for starting the near-three-year war.

In Ireland, Martin this week told his European counterparts that he would support measures to send members of the Defence Forces to Ukraine in order to carry out peace-keeping operations in the region.

It came as EU leaders, who have placed sweeping sanctions on Russia since the beginning of the war, sought to solidify its position as a peace broker while attempting to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Crimea in 2014.

Speaking on this evening’s phone call, Martin said: “We discussed how, together with the EU, we can advance a just, sustainable and durable peace in Ukraine.”

He added that he supported the acceleration of Ukraine’s EU membership bid and that the Irish government would continue to financially support Zelenskyy’s war-torn country.

Martin is due to attend the online summit next week, where it is likely Zelenskyy will discuss, with European leaders, a vision for advancing a peace agreement that sufficiently holds Russia accountable for its actions.