Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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140. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will report on the meeting of 23 May 2022 of the Ukraine Contact Group; the person who represented Ireland at the meeting; the number of meetings of this group which have been attended by Ireland to-date; the dates of same; if minutes are taken in respect of the meetings of the group; if so, if they were published; if he will provide details of Ireland’s role in the group; the details of the decision taken regarding the participation of Ireland in this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28191/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Following a conference at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 26 April, organised by the United States to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, particularly Ukrainian defence capabilities, as well as pledge and coordinate further support to Ukraine, Ireland was invited to join the newly-formed Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

A meeting of the Group took place on 23 May and Ireland was represented at senior official level from the Department of Defence and at senior military level by the Defence Forces. This was Ireland's first time to attend a meeting of this Group which provides a forum to discuss the response of the international community to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ireland has already provided military equipment in the form of body armour and ready-to-eat meals to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and has committed to contribute a further €44 million through the European Peace Facility.

44 countries, including almost all NATO and EU Member States as well as a number of African and Asian countries participated in the meeting. There is no published official record of the meeting meeting of 23 May. 

It is considered useful for Ireland to avail of all appropriate opportunities for high-level and diplomatic engagement on issues relating to Ukraine, particularly as regards the long-term perspectives for the conflict, the potential scenarios ahead, including any eventual pathway to a negotiated solution, as well as the wider transformation of the European security landscape.

The next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group will take place in Brussels on 15 June and it is expected that Ireland will be represented once again at senior official and Defence Force level.