LAST UPDATE | 1 Sep 2025

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said that Ireland is open to participating in a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

Martin reiterated Ireland’s “strong support” for Ukraine during a call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today.

According to a statement from the Taoiseach’s office, Martin and Zelenskyy spoke over the phone, during which Martin “reaffirmed to him personally Ireland’s steadfast support for Ukraine and its people”.

“Ireland’s support is as strong today as it was when Russia invaded,” Martin said.

The Taoiseach also expressed his solidarity with Ukrainian people “in the face of unrelenting Russian assaults”.

Russia launched its second-biggest aerial attack of the war so far last week, killing at least 23 people in Kyiv, including four children.

“The deliberate targeting of civilians, as we have seen in Kyiv, is a war crime and I extended my deep condolences to President Zelenskyy for the devastating loss of life, especially of children,” Martin said.

“I expressed my view that recent attacks by Russia are a clear demonstration that President Putin is not interested in peace, despite the efforts of the international community to advance negotiations,” he added.

The Taoiseach said that the most recent developments in relation to ceasefire negotiations were discussed during the call.

“I assured President Zelenskyy that Ireland stands ready to support this work, including through the provision of non-lethal military assistance and our openness to taking part in any appropriately mandated peacekeeping mission in line with the UN Charter,” Martin said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week that Ukraine’s European allies are working on “pretty precise plans” and a “clear road map” for a potential deployment of troops to Ukraine should a peace deal be struck between Kyiv and Moscow.

Von der Leyen, in comments published in The Financial Times on 31 August, added that any such venture would have the full backing of the United States, which has swayed back and forth on potential involvement over the past year.

Back in February, government sources confirmed that Ireland would consider sending troops as part of a multinational peacekeeping mission, most likely dependent on a UN resolution similar to that used in Lebanon.

At the time, sources stressed that this was not just “kite-flying” but that real preparations and contingency planning were quietly under way across Europe.

Martin also said that the Irish government will continue to work with partners to support Ukraine’s path towards EU membership.

The Taoiseach will join leaders from a number of nations allied with Ukraine in Europe, labelled the ‘Coalition of the Willing’, for a meeting this Thursday to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The meeting will be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

According to French officials, the meeting will focus on security guarantees for Ukraine and a united response to Russia’s refusal to end the war, the Élysée Palace said.

Zelenskyy is also expected to take part in the meeting.