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 he would not speculate on which EU countries should be involved in the talks, but added that there are some “some obvious candidates”.

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.

“I don’t think it’s not necessarily one person, but there should be clear, coherent leadership from the European Union at that table,” Mr Martin said as he hosts the ninth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC).

“There are some obvious candidates there.

“I’m not going to speculate on those, other than to say that there is clearly a need for a coherent voice agreed by the EU27 as to who represents the European at those talks.”

Mr Martin added: “I think everyone is genuinely shocked about death and destruction that is correlated because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“It is absolutely shocking and horrific the number of young people who lost their lives.

“Ukrainians and Russian soldiers have lost their lives needlessly.

“Europe has stood strong, in my view, to be fair, and as the European Union, notwithstanding all of the challenges, notwithstanding the political 27 member states, many of the European Union has stood strong in the face of that aggression and have put down a very clear marker in terms of security of Europe.

“We know many member states feel an existential threat because of what has happened in Ukraine.”