Speeches

We spoke with the American team on economic matters – on reconstruction matters. I want to thank Secretary Bessent, Jared Kushner, and Larry Fink of BlackRock for being fully constructive.

First and foremost, security issues, support for our resilience, and support packages for our defense. First and foremost, air defense and long-term funding for Ukraine. Of course, we will discuss a shared vision and common positions in the negotiations. 

I thank our servicemembers who, on the battlefield, do their utmost so that Ukraine has confidence at the negotiating table. So that it has dignity. So that it has strong arguments. Ukraine has all of this. Because it has you.

Detailed work continues on the entire architecture of the security guarantees we need. These include military, economic, and political components. And next week, there will also be meetings and contacts on this matter.

I want to thank Cyprus for its support at the political level, including with regard to the negotiations on Ukraine’s EU membership.

Everything is now proceeding quite effectively – at meetings in Geneva and Florida, Ukraine was heard, and Ukraine was listened to. And that matters. We expect it will continue exactly this way.

Our peoples – Ukrainian and Irish – are among the few in Europe who spent centuries fighting for the right to remain themselves. And now, for nearly 4 years of Russia’s full-scale war against our people, our children – the most devastating war for freedom in Europe since World War Two – Ireland has stood firmly and clearly for our independence, and for a just end to this war.

We approved the Roadmap on Partnership between our countries – Ukraine and Ireland – for at least the next five years. We hope that during this period, Ukraine will already be a member of the European Union, and we are thankful to you for your support along this path. We appreciate that Ireland always approaches issues of pressure on Russia honestly and with principle, and primarily these are issues of sanctions and sanctions policy.

These are special days, when a great deal can truly change – and change every single day. Yesterday, the Ukrainian delegation held negotiations in the United States. Tomorrow, as we all already know, the Envoy of the President of the United States will be in Russia. We are making every effort to bring this war to an end – and it must be ended with dignity.

Internal strength is the foundation of our external unity and of our relations with the world. And for that internal strength to exist, there must be no reasons to get distracted by anything other than defending Ukraine.