Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin arrived in Kyiv on Thursday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, using his first visit to Ukraine since Ireland assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU to reaffirm support for Kyiv.
Martin is expected to meet Zelensky as well as Prime Minister Serhii Korestskyi and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, according to the Irish Examiner.
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The visit comes as Ireland places Ukraine at the center of its six-month EU presidency, which began on July 1.
Martin is also scheduled to visit Kyiv neighborhoods damaged in recent Russian attacks and meet international and humanitarian organizations delivering Irish-funded aid to civilians.
“I am visiting Ukraine to underscore the unwavering solidarity of the EU and Ireland with the Ukrainian government and the people of Ukraine,” Martin said ahead of the trip.
He praised Ukraine’s resilience after more than four years of Russia’s full-scale war, saying the country continues to show “remarkable courage” despite intensified Russian attacks in Kyiv and elsewhere in recent weeks.
Martin said supporting Ukraine would remain a key priority of Ireland’s EU presidency.
“This visit is an opportunity to hear directly from President Zelensky and Prime Minister Korestskii about the situation on the ground and the Ukrainian government’s needs as it enters the fifth year of defending the country against Russian aggression,” he said.
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During his meetings in Kyiv, Martin is also expected to discuss Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations and the country’s domestic reform agenda.
Ireland took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from Cyprus and will hold the role until the end of December 2026.
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