Taoiseach says Europe ‘should be at the table’ for Ukraine talks

Europe “should be at the table” at diplomatic meetings with Ukraine, Russia and the US, the Irish premier has said.

Micheál Martin said EU countries “with heft” should be involved in talks, particularly where Europe is part of security guarantees in any agreement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is among a host of world leaders gathering in Dublin for two major EU presidency events amid the biggest security operation in the history of the state.

Mr Zelensky is to meet with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff when they arrive in Dublin later on Thursday.

They are holding talks after Mr Kushner and Mr Witkoff meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which follows negotiations between representatives from the US, Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, earlier this week.

The two days of negotiations in Abu Dhabi ended with an agreement on a large exchange of prisoners of war but no visible breakthrough on ending the almost five-year conflict in Ukraine.

The visit in Dublin is to discuss the proposals set out during the negotiations and look for areas where an agreement can be advanced.

Asked why Europe is not part of the discussions taking place in Dublin, Mr Martin said it should be at the table.

“We have to be at the table, particularly when Europe will be part of any resolution of this in terms of both security guarantees, economic inputs, and also membership of the European Union for Ukraine,” Mr Martin told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme.

“Anything to do with the continent of Europe or to do with the European Union will mean a presence of the European Union at the table.

“President Zelensky made this point I think strongly in the UAE, and the Americans are predisposed to it.

“Obviously, there’s further engagement with Russia on that front.

“It needs to be worked out, and it needs to be coherent, and that is certainly something that the heads would have to be knocked together to get a resolution.

“Ireland, we’re pragmatic about this. We do believe that countries with heft should be at the table, people with strength and credibility.

“It has to be a credible European team as well that meets a person of the calibre of President Putin or his disposition.”

Mr Martin said progress was made during the meetings in UAE “to an extent”.

He added: “There’s potentially a large prisoner swap under way, and then Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading straight after to Moscow to meet President Putin, and they want to come back to debrief President Zelensky here in Dublin this evening.

“It makes sense because President Zelensky is here. It’s very important for President Zelensky this meeting because it’s an opportunity for him.”