LAST UPDATE | 14 Sep 2022

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN Affairs, Simon Coveney, has visited the Ukrainian port city of Odesa today for meetings with government officials and to view the export of grain from the city.

During his visit, alongside Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, he met with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the purpose of the minister’s visit asw to reiterate Ireland’s continued support for Ukraine and staunch opposition to Russia’s illegal invasion.

The Minister’s visit to the region also saw visit the capital of Moldova to meet with Nicu Popescu, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister.

Ahead of the trip, Coveney stated: “This is my second visit to Ukraine since the invasion began and it is important for the Ukrainian people to know that Ireland stands firmly behind them.”

“I will attend the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine in New York next Thursday and will take that opportunity to brief the Council on my visit and to stress in the strongest possible terms Ireland’s opposition to Russia’s actions.”

Minister Simon Coveney at the port in Odesa Department of Foreign Affairs Department of Foreign Affairs

Minister Simon Coveney at the port in Odesa Department of Foreign Affairs Department of Foreign Affairs

Last month, the first shipment to Ireland of Ukrainian grain since its invasion arrived into Foynes Port, Co Limerick.

A ship left Odesa on 5 August carrying 33,000 tonnes of grain to be used by Irish farmers for animal feed as part of maiden trade voyages out of Ukraine under a UN-backed deal lifting Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea.

Upon its arrival two weeks later, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland said she was “happy that Ireland is among the first countries to receive Ukrainian corn by sea, as Ireland strongly supports Ukraine and is a true friend of the Ukrainian people”.

Speaking to reporters this morning Coveney said:

“We’re going to get a briefing from the UN on the Black Sea grain initiative which is working and getting grain out of the port of Odessa to the world which is vitally needed.”

“I think this will be a very useful trip in the context of going to New York next week where there will be a detailed discussion at a UN level in relation to global food security issues as a result of Russian aggression in Ukraine.”

“This is about solidarity, its about understanding what’s happening on the ground in Ukraine so we’re informed in the context of debates that are going to take place at a European level and at a UN level.”

With reporting from Christina Finn and Lauren Boland