Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 18, inclusive, together.

Following his re-election as President of France, I wrote to President Macron to offer him my warmest congratulations. I also had the opportunity to congratulate him in person when we met at the special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 30 and 31 May. That meeting began with a video call with President Zelenskyy. We then went on to agree financial support for humanitarian, liquidity and reconstruction needs in Ukraine as well as a sixth package of sanctions, including oil, putting further pressure on Russia to end this war. We discussed the Commission's REPowerEU plan and how to fast-forward the green transition. We also discussed food security and were joined in our discussions by President Macky Sall, Chairperson of the African Union. We discussed a European Commission analysis paper on defence investment gaps in the EU, with all agreed on the need for more and better investments.

The European Council met again on 23 and 24 June, when we took the historic decision to confirm European Union candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova, and to recognise Georgia's European perspective. We also discussed the ongoing impact of Russia's war on Ukraine and our commitment to continuing strong humanitarian, military, economic and financial support. We condemned Russia's weaponising of food supplies, which risks famine and instability. We discussed wider Europe, which was an initiative of the French President, including the idea of a European political community to foster political dialogue on strategic challenges across our region. We noted the recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe and called for effective follow-up by the Union's institutions.

In the margins of the meeting I met the President of Kosovo, Dr. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, and assured her of Ireland's support for Kosovo's European perspective and urged further progress in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue. Following the European Council meeting proper, we met as the Euro Summit where we heard from President of the European Central Bank, Ms Christine Lagarde, and President of the Eurogroup, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, on prospects for the European economy. Countries across the Union are experiencing the same challenges from rising energy and food prices as well as rising inflation and interest rates. These challenges are being fuelled by Russia's war on Ukraine. We agreed on the need to co-ordinate closely in our response and to return to the topic at a future date.

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