Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of engagements that he has had with his Ukrainian counterpart since coming to office; the nature of those exchanges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46149/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to working with my European and Ukrainian counterparts to maintain our solidarity with Ukraine and to ensure Ukraine gets the support it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression. This remains a key focus of my engagements, both bilaterally and at the EU.

Ukraine features prominently on the monthly agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council. We are regularly joined by Foreign Minister Sybiha to hear directly about the situation on the ground and Ukraine’s most pressing needs. This is an important forum for discussion on what more the EU can do to ensure Ukraine gets the support it urgently needs to defend itself and to deter future Russian aggression.

Most recently, Minister Sybiha joined an informal meeting of the Council on 29 August virtually, giving an update of developments on the ground in Ukraine, as he had also done at a Council meeting on 15 July.

One of my earliest engagements as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade was an introductory phone call with Minister Sybiha. During that call, I reaffirmed Ireland's commitment to providing much-needed diplomatic, political, humanitarian, economic and non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine.

On 15 February this year, I met with Minister Sybiha in the margins of the Munich Security Conference, where we had a detailed exchange on recent developments and how Ireland can further strengthen our support.

In September 2024, I visited Kyiv and saw first-hand the appalling impacts of Russia’s aggression. On that occasion, I signed with President Zelenskyy a bilateral agreement on support and cooperation which underlined Ireland’s unwavering commitment to continue to support Ukraine and pledges us both to deepen our cooperation and partnership.

On 6 May, it was a privilege to be joined virtually by Minister Sybiha when he addressed the Global Ireland Summit at Dublin Castle. The Minister pointed to the global ramifications of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including by undermining the multilateral rules-based order on which we rely for peace and prosperity. Ireland’s position is clear; this war, and the threat posed by Russia, is not only an existential issue for Ukraine, but is also a major challenge to the security of Europe. I look forward to further close cooperation with Minister Sybiha to strengthen our collective response to these shared challenges.