Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together.

The former Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, travelled to Paris on 26 February to attend a high-level meeting on assistance to Ukraine convened by President Macron and attended by leaders and representatives from EU member states and other like-minded countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The meeting in Paris was a valuable opportunity for Ukraine's friends and allies to come together to assess Ukraine's needs, both military and civilian, and to ensure that our collective effort in support of it are as comprehensive and effective as possible.

I spoke to President Zelenskyy by phone on 10 April and reiterated Ireland's unwavering commitment to Ukraine's freedom, democracy and territorial integrity. I also said that Ireland would continue to advocate strongly for Ukraine's membership of the European Union and offered my support to President Zelenskyy's peace formula. He told me of the severe pressure that Ukraine is under as Russia continues to attack cities such as Kharkiv and vital civilian infrastructure, including energy and heat plants. He also emphasised Ukraine's wish to see formal negotiations with the EU on its future membership open under the Belgian presidency. I said that I and the Irish Government support that goal.

Following on from my conversation with President Zelenskyy, I also spoke with the Prime Minister of Ukraine yesterday. We discussed how best partners can support Ukraine with its immediate needs in terms of energy infrastructure, which has been a target of Russian missiles in recent weeks, and we looked ahead and spoke about the reconstruction of Ukraine.

At the special European Council in Brussels on 17 and 18 April, I called for these negotiations to begin as soon as possible. This is an important message to the people of Ukraine, and to President Putin, that Ukraine belongs in our European Union family.

From my meetings with European leaders during my recent visits to Brussels and Warsaw, and from discussions at the special European Council, it is clear that colleagues are very concerned about the current situation in Ukraine. It has very significant military needs if it is to prevent Russia making further advances into its territory. It also urgently needs further air defence systems to help protect cities other than Kyiv. I, therefore, welcome the recent decision in the United States to confirm further aid for Ukraine.

The agreement by the European Union in February to provide €50 billion in grants and loans to Ukraine in the period to 2027, and the decision in March to provide an additional €5 billion under the European Peace Facility, EPF, are both important sources of our continuing support and a signal of our commitment to continuing to stand with Ukraine. Ireland's share under the EPF uplift amounts to more than €125 million. We will continue providing non-lethal assistance to Ukraine, including in areas where we have expertise, such as demining and cyber. It was clear from my conversation yesterday with the Prime Minister of Ukraine that Ukraine sees enormous value in the work Ireland is carrying out in demining. We need to ensure that we provide Ukraine with what it needs in that area as urgently as possible.

Unfortunately, Ukraine’s demining needs will be considerable for the foreseeable future. The Defence Forces have already delivered a number of training modules, including in demining and combat casualty care, together with EU partners.

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