THE GOVERNMENT IS planning for a possible visit by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the coming weeks, The Journal has learned. 

It is understood that officials are working on a plan for the Ukrainian leader to come here, possibly as early as December. 

Zelenskyy addressed the Houses of the Oireachtas in 2022 and earlier this year Taoiseach Micheál Martin met the president in Shannon on a stop-over. 

Preparations for the visit are believed to be in their infancy. A source said that planning is under way but that given the situation in Ukraine at the moment, an exact date could not be confirmed for when the Irish visit would happen. 

Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris have both travelled to Kyiv on visits in recent years. 

It is not yet known if president-elect Catherine Connolly would be meeting the Ukrainian president if the visit goes ahead. 

If she does, it would likely be one of the first major events of her presidency, following her inauguration on Tuesday.

There was some controversy during the election campaign around Connolly’s opinion of Zelenskyy and her positions on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Connolly said that she has repeatedly condemned the Russian invasion and that she clapped for Zelenskyy when he addressed the Oireachtas via video link.

She also said that she has growing concerns over the direction Europe is heading in terms of its support for military action and the sale of arms internationally. She said that politicians should instead be using their voices to promote peace. 

Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin in September.

During the call Martin spoke with the president about finding a peace deal, as well as the plans for peacekeeping forces in Ukraine should a ceasefire be found between Russia and Ukraine. 

Ireland has indicated that it would be willing to participate in a peacekeeping mission in the war-torn country. 

Peace efforts have failed to materialise so far as Russia continues to bomb civilian targets. Efforts by US president Donald Trump to broker a peace deal with Vladimir Putin have completely failed to date. 

Some small gains have also been made by Russian forces in recent weeks and Ukraine is continuing to fight across a lengthy front and launch raids into Russia using drones and missiles.