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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy (centre) surrounded by the leaders of Latvia, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania in Kyiv Alamy Stock Photo
Kyiv
Taoiseach attends 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting as Ukraine celebrates Independence Day
The EU said today it had released another €6.1 billion in military aid for Ukraine.
LAST UPDATE | 24 Aug
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN attended a meeting of Ukraine’s European allies in Kyiv today while the country celebrates its Independence Day, even as the war with Russia continues to escalate.
The meeting of the group dubbed the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ was jointly chaired by the leaders of Britain, France and Germany.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham was in Kyiv for his first international trip since taking office, and several other leaders joined remotely.
The Taoiseach, who was one of those who joined online, said that during the meeting he joined other leaders to voice their “steadfast support for Ukraine”.
In a statement, Martin said he reiterated Ireland’s priority during the EU Presidency to “unequivocally back Ukraine as its people continue to courageously face down brutal Russian attacks”.
“I witnessed the impact of these indiscriminate strikes first-hand during my visit to Kyiv in July. Russia must end their barbaric war immediately,” he said.
“Our Presidency of the EU is working to progress Ukraine’s path towards EU membership and to bring forward the assistance Ukraine needs to continue its defence against Russian aggression. This includes the disbursement of the EU’s €90 billion loan.”
He said the group agreed on the need to “continue to put pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and engage in meaningful peace negotiations”, including through sanctions and tackling Russia’s shadow fleet.
“Leaders reiterated the principle that internationally recognised borders cannot be changed by force and welcomed work on providing robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine,” Martin said.
Missile deficit
The EU said today it had released another €6.1 billion in military aid for Ukraine to boost its air defences against increasingly deadly Russian missile attacks.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc was reaffirming it “unfaltering support” for Ukraine.
“Today, we approved €6.1 billion for the air and missile defence systems, missiles, ammunition and radars that Ukraine urgently needs,” von der Leyen said on X.
“With 376 missile strikes recorded in July alone, reinforcing Ukraine’s defences has become increasingly urgent,” the EU commission said in a separate statement.
The finance is part of a €90 billion loan, including €60 billion in military aid, that the EU has said will go to Ukraine. Some €16 billion has already been allocated and €8.5 billion sent to Kyiv.
Burnham urged Ukraine’s allies to send more interceptor missiles to Kyiv as Ukraine struggles under continued Russian bombardment.
During the meeting, the prime minister said the group was doing “everything we can” to “dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks”.
Burnham also announced more British support for the country’s long-range weapons.
The UK has agreed to declassify blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French-produced version of the Storm Shadow that has already been used to hit targets in Russia.
That decision has drawn strong condemnation from Russia, with Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying it would add “fuel to the fire” of the conflict.
But Burnham hit back in comments to reporters in Kyiv, saying: “Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it.”
On Saturday, French president Emmanuel Macron pledged to deliver new interceptor missiles.
“It is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its skies and thwart this aggression,” Macron wrote on X.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy revealed the extent of Ukraine’s missile deficit, releasing usually closely guarded numbers.
He said deliveries of crucial US-made Patriot interceptors had halved since 2023.
“Over the entire of 2023, Ukraine received 675 missiles, and over all of 2025, 364, even though Russian missile strikes have increased,” Zelenskyy said.
“For 2026, as currently projected, it is 264,” he added, saying Ukraine was seeking a package of at least 300 for the upcoming winter.
During Zelenskyy’s last visit to Washington, president Donald Trump said the US would be providing Ukraine with licences to build its own Patriot missiles.
He has since walked back that promise, saying: “We have not agreed to that.”
“We’re talking about it, but it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology.”
With reporting from AFP
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