TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN will attend an online meeting with other European leaders this afternoon to discuss the war in Ukraine, during which he will press the case for Ukraine’s admission into the EU. 

The meeting has been convened by President Emmanuel Macron of France and comes amid a major shift in US posture towards Russia and the war that is approaching its third anniversary. 

“I will argue that an important way for the EU to help guarantee Ukraine’s future security is to accelerate the process of joining the EU,” Martin said.

“Ukraine is part of the European family and has already undertaken many of the reforms necessary for membership in the most difficult of circumstances.”

US and Russian diplomats held a meeting in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh yesterday, where they discussed normalising relations and committed to appointing teams of negotiators to try and bring an end to the war. It was the first such meeting since the war began and no Ukrainian envoys were invited. 

European leaders, the vast majority of whom support Ukraine in its effort to expel Russia’s devastating invasion, have been left scrambling by the Trump administrations’ about face on the war. 

Macron already hastily convened a meeting of European leaders on Monday to discuss the developments, which, despite Trump’s election pledges to end the war and his policy towards Europe and Nato during his first term, appear to have caught the EU on the back foot. 

Last night, US President Donald Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion three years ago. That invasion had been preceded by Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. 

Trump also piled pressure on Zelenskyy to hold an election, which has not taken place because Ukraine is currently under martial law, while also making a false claim about the Ukrainian  president’s popularity.

Zelenskyy said today that Trump was living in “a disinformation space”.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Taoiseach welcomed the opportunity to exchange views with partners on the situation in Ukraine.

“In our discussions, we will consider how best we can continue to support Ukraine and how we can ensure a just, sustainable, and durable peace, in keeping with the principles of the UN Charter,” the Taoiseach said in a statement ahead of the meeting.

“As we approach the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion, Ireland remains steadfast in our support for Ukraine and its people.”

Yesterday, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris asked Cabinet for approval of €50m to supply Ukraine with non-lethal military aid, outside of the EU’s funding mechanism, which has been obstructed by Hungary. 

Harris was asked by reporters about the possibility of Irish soldiers being deployed to Ukraine, but said “we’re not at that point yet”.