Irish PM Simon Harris meets Ukrainian President during Kyiv visit

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris has met the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Kyiv.

The leaders signed a memorandum of understanding between the two counties.

President Zelensky said he wanted to “express his gratitude to Ireland” after signing the bilateral deal.

The deal includes common work on demining Ukraine, which Mr Zelensky said will save Ukrainians and improve the resilience of Europe.

He added that the deal also includes common work on cyber security.

President Zelensky further thanked Ireland for its support of work on returning abducted Ukrainian children to the country.

“Ireland’s participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine will be a substantial support for our people and our countries and our European way of life.

“I thank the people of Ireland, I know that after the beginning of the invasion of Russia of our land, you’ve accepted and really have warmly welcomed more than 100,000 citizens of Ukraine.”

Mr Harris said: “The people of Ireland stand with the people of Ukraine.”

He said Ireland supports Ukraine’s efforts on EU membership.

Mr Harris said he was “particularly pleased” to invite Mr Zelensky for an official visit to Ireland, to which the Ukrainian president nodded.

Asked by members of the Ukrainian media about the Irish Government’s decision to decrease financial support for newly arriving Ukrainians in Ireland, Simon Harris said “Ireland will always continue to support people from Ukraine”.

Mr Harris added the roughly 109,000 Ukrainians who have been welcomed in Ireland “made an incredibly positive contribution to Irish society”.

However, he said refugee systems are always under review in terms of sustainability.

He noted the changes applied to people who were being provided with free food, accommodation and a right to work.

President Zelensky said the issue of financial support for refugees would be a matter that would be further discussed with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

However, he said was “really thankful” for support already given to Ukrainian citizens by the Irish government.

Earlier, the taoiseach visited bombed out and damaged buildings in the Borodyanka and Hostomel areas of the Kyiv.

Mr Harris paid tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people during his visit to the city.

Speaking ahead of the trip, the taoiseach said that “two-and-a-half years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine continues to face immense challenges”.

He added that Ireland has been “unequivocal and steadfast in our support for the people of Ukraine”.

After travelling into the country on an overnight train, the taoiseach was greeted at Nemishaieve station.

In a convoy containing Ukrainian and Irish armed forces, Mr Harris passed military checkpoints to first visit Borodyanka, where he inspected apartment buildings and a playground damaged by bombing in early 2022.

He saw the entire facade of one building collapsed and a disused playground where children’s toys lay on the ground.

Mr Harris was guided around the site by the head of Kyiv state’s regional administration, Ruslan Kravchenko, who thanked the Taoiseach for Ireland’s support for Ukraine.

Mr Kravchenko presented Mr Harris with a medal representing the region.

The Irish leader’s trip to Ukraine comes alongside a pledge of an additional €36m (£43 million) from Ireland to support humanitarian efforts, as well as “rehabilitation and eventual reconstruction” in Ukraine.

The money includes funding for the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, the United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF and the Red Cross.

The Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister), Micheál Martin, said the package would “provide much-needed humanitarian support and development assistance to people suffering the impact of this unjust war”.

“Recognising the particularly horrific impact of the war on women and children, Ireland’s assistance in 2024 prioritises prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence, support for maternity services and rebuilding of homes for people forced to flee conflict and now living in collective centres,” he said.

This latest funding announcement will bring Ireland’s total funding to Ukraine since February 2022 to more than €380m.