Defence and European integration: Zelenskyy held talks with Irish Foreign Minister
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Defense, Helen McEntee.
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in a statement by the head of state.
The parties discussed Ukraine’s European integration and the development of cooperation in the defense-industrial sector. They paid particular attention to the priorities of the Irish EU Presidency in the second half of this year.
European integration and security cooperation
Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of launching a mechanism to open negotiation clusters for countries that fulfill their obligations. He also reported on the results of his visits to countries in the Middle East and the proposed security framework.
"We are ready to work with our European partners in the same format, both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of the SAFE program," the president said.
The head of state emphasized that Ukraine’s experience could strengthen European security. In addition, he thanked Ireland for its military, humanitarian, and energy support.
Which came first?
- As a reminder, on March 31, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, stated during her visit to Ukraine that the European Union is not ready to name a specific date for Ukraine’s accession, but reaffirmed its political support for Kyiv’s path toward European integration.
- Earlier, European officials also stated that Ukraine’s potential accession to the EU by January 1, 2027—a date mentioned in one of the latest drafts of the peace proposal—"has nothing to do with reality". Ukraine’s membership in the European Union could be viewed as one of the security guarantees for the future, but specific timelines are not currently being discussed.
