TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR is attending a meeting of European leaders today to discuss support for Ukraine.
The meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in the Elysée Palace in Paris, is focusing on strengthening international support for the country two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
The French presidency said the meeting will allow participants to “reaffirm their unity as well as their determination to defeat the war of aggression waged by Russia in Ukraine”.
It will “examine all means to support Ukraine effectively”.
Around 20 European heads and states will be in attendance, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda. Some other countries have sent ministers, like the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron. The US and Canada, though not European, will also have representatives present.
“Battered and bruised, but still standing. Ukraine is fighting for itself, for its ideals, for our Europe. Our commitment at its side will not waver,” Macron wrote on social media, marking the second anniversary of the invasion.
The meeting is expected to commence with a video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine is running low on weapons and ammunition, causing concern in western countries that Russia is gaining traction.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said yesterday that half of western military aid is delivered late, saying that “commitment does not constitute delivery”.
Additionally, the US has been a key source of support for Ukraine but there are growing doubts about its position long-term as political struggles in the country play out, with funding for Ukraine caught up in partisan debates.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland, Larysa Gerasko, has emphasised that Ukraine badly needs the support of European countries like Ireland as the defence effort enters its third year.
In an interview with The Journal, Gerasko said that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not care about the Russian population and has “transferred its economy to a military basis”, with “all of their funds are going towards weapons provision”.
“In Ukraine, people are earning small salaries right now. Still, everyone, including pensioners, is donating something small whenever they can towards the war effort,” she said.
“We ask you to please assist us, please help us to win.”
The meeting in Paris is due to begin at 4pm local time this evening, with a press conference by Macron to follow around 8.30pm.
Additional reporting by AFP
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