LAST UPDATE | 31 Mar

Niall O'Connor Reporting from Ukraine.

THE MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs has arrived in Kyiv this morning on a two-day visit to coincide with a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers and will have discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the anniversary of the Bucha Massacre.

Helen McEntee’s itinerary today focuses on meetings with her European counterparts and will also see her take part in a meeting which will include meetings with the Ukrainian government. 

The Journal has travelled to Ukraine and will be reporting from the country over the coming days.

The security atmosphere remains tense with significant bombings by Russia. In the last 24 hours Russian drones killed three and injured 13 in the city of Kramatorsk, some 600 kilometres to the east by road from Kyiv.

Ukraine, for its part, continues fighting a grinding drone-led warfare in the east and south-east of the country.

It is also reaching out into Russia and was reported to have struck a major oil refinery in the Baltic region. Ukrainian drones have also killed one person in a strike in the Russian city of Taganrog.

Last night at 10.30pm The Journal witnessed how Kyiv and the rest of Ukraine was issued with an air raid siren that echoed across the city as bars and restaurants were shutting up for the night. 

The air raid alert was stood down for the city as other areas of the country fell victim to the incoming ordnance.  

There was also Shahed style drone attacks in other areas and fighting and artillery strikes were reported in Kherson, Poltavska, Sumska and near Odessa. Heavy fighting is reported near Kharkiv. All those locations are hundreds of kilometres from Kyiv. 

The Russian military controls almost a fifth of Ukraine, particularly in four regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

The Moscow regime is currently building large infrastructure projects in the regions it is claiming and using the historical term New Russia or Novorussiya to describe its land grab.

Tomorrow, McEntee will also have a day of events including high-level meetings focused on the Ireland-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue. 

The visit coincides with the fourth anniversary of the liberation of Bucha from Russian occupation.

Theministersssacre happened in a town on the outskirts of Kyiv with confirmed reports of hundreds of civilians killed by advancing Russian troops. Their bodies, some with hands bound, were found lying on roadways. There were also masse graves found when it was liberated. 

EU Ministers and the EU’s senior diplomat Kaja Kallas will attend a commemorative event with members of the Ukrainian government. The EU and Irish officials will have meetings on the topics of finding a peaceful end to the war, accountability for war crimes, and support for Ukrainian veterans returning to society.

A key issue for European countries is how to deal with Hungary’s veto on a €90bn loan to assist the Ukrainian War effort. That issue may solve itself this weekend as Viktor Orban will face a general election. 

A funeral procession for 20-year old volunteer soldier Dmytro Dukhota, who was killed in a battle against Russian troops, marches down the street strewn with flowers in the village of Novi Petrivtsi close to capital Kyiv. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

McEntee said before travelling that she was looking forward to participating in the events as a display of Europe’s support for Ukraine. 

“We will come together to remember the victims of the atrocities in Bucha and to reaffirm our commitment to holding Russia fully accountable for its unprovoked invasion.

“After four years of war, the human impact in Ukraine has been devastating. Russia has the power to end this conflict, but instead of engaging in meaningful negotiations, it continues attacks on towns and energy infrastructure. Ireland stands firmly with the people of Ukraine,” she said.

McEntee added that she would be making Ireland’s case for Ukraine to join the European Union while in the city.

“As Ireland prepares for its upcoming EU presidency, I will highlight our continued support for Ukraine across political, financial, humanitarian, and non-lethal military areas. I will also reaffirm Ireland’s support for Ukraine’s path to EU membership.

“I welcome ongoing efforts to secure a fair and lasting peace that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, and I hope meaningful progress can be made soon. By meeting in Kyiv, we are sending a clear and united message that EU support for Ukraine remains strong,” she said.