Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made a surprise visit to Ukraine today and met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
According to the website for the office of the Ukrainian president, Mr. Varadkar and his team "had started their visit to Ukraine by visiting Moshchun, Bucha, Romanivskyi Bridge in Kyiv region and had seen the consequences of Russian aggression with their own eyes."
President Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to all the people of Ireland for sheltering Ukrainians fleeing the war.
"This is a tangible step of moral support for our people. Ireland has sheltered 86 thousand Ukrainians, provided them with housing, finance, access to education and medicine, and this is very important," Zelenskyy told reporters after his meeting with the taoiseach.
Varadkar and Zelenskyy, according to the presidential website, discussed security and political cooperation, joint steps that could strengthen Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression.
"Ireland has already provided us with non-lethal assistance worth more than 170 million euros - thank you very much to Mr. Taoiseach - and has actively engaged in the demining process, which is also one of our priorities today," Zelenskyy said.
In addition, the two leaders focused on the implementation of the Peace Formula.
"Today, I invited Mr. Taoiseach to join our efforts to prepare the Global Peace Summit," Zelenskyy said.
He thanked Ireland for supporting Ukraine on the path to European integration and emphasized the importance of starting negotiations on Ukraine's future membership in the European Union this year.
The two also discussed food security.
"Ireland has supported the Black Sea Grain Initiative and our 'Grain from Ukraine' humanitarian initiative, which has really helped the countries in Africa that are most critically dependent on food imports. Together we must do everything possible to ensure that the global food market remains stable despite Russia's obvious attempts to provoke new crises and use hunger and destabilization as a weapon," Zelenskyy said.
The website added: "For his part, Leo Varadkar assured that Ireland would help Ukraine for as long as it takes and would continue to provide financial, practical and political assistance.
"Ukraine will win, Ukraine will recover and be rebuilt. We will provide practical and diplomatic assistance to Ukraine to realize its goals and implement the peace plan," he said.
"The Taoiseach expressed confidence that Ukraine's future lies in the European Union and noted our country's progress on the path to European integration."
The Irish times reported: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has made an unannounced visit to Kyiv after travelling late on Tuesday night to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Mr Varadkar has pledged solidarity with the people of Ukraine and said he witnessed the effects of Russia’s invasion at first hand.
Earlier Wednesday morning Mr Varadkar visited towns and villages around Kyiv to meet communities and hear first-hand the accounts of the death and destruction wrought by Russian forces.
A Government spokesman said he is meeting Mr Zelenskiy, prime minister Shmyhal and parliamentary speaker Stefanchuk to “discuss the current situation, and how Ireland can continue to help Ukraine practically and politically”.
