'Difficult to comprehend the devastation': Taoiseach visits war-torn Ukraine

Taoiseach Micheál Martin views the memorial to children killed during the Russian invasion at the Crucified Ukraine Exhibition at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War in Kyiv. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

The leaders met in Mr Zelenskyy’s heavily fortified offices in the city to discuss the war and Irish and EU efforts to support Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.

Mr Martin began his visit to Ukraine with a trip to Borodyanka – a town on the outskirts of Kyiv that has suffered widespread damage under Russian shelling.

On the 30-minute drive from the railway station, the Taoiseach passed Hostomel airport, where his convoy stopped to observe a demolished bridge.

The delegation also drove past bombed-out warehouses, shopping centres and petrol stations.

In Borodyanka, Mr Martin met the town’s mayor and viewed apartment blocks gutted by fire during the Russian bombardment.

The Taoiseach and his entourage observe a minute silence at the foot of the Bitter Memory of Childhood statue, which commemorates the victims of the Great Famine in 1932-33, at the Holodomor Victims Memorial in Kyiv. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The Taoiseach then visited the site of a mass grave in Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The grave was discovered in the grounds of the Church of Saint Andrew the First.

A local cleric showed Mr Martin the site and an associated exhibition of graphic photographs of exhumed bodies and pictures of people found shot dead on the streets of the suburb when Russian forces retreated.

The Irish delegation then travelled to nearby Irpin where the Taoiseach was shown badly-damaged apartment blocks that had taken the brunt of Russian shells.

After viewing the war-scarred suburbs of Borodyanka, Bucha and Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, Mr Martin tweeted: “It is difficult to comprehend the devastation and inhumanity of Russia’s attacks on Irpin, Borodyanka and Bucha.

“Clear how important it is for women and children to get to Ireland to escape trauma and brutality. We stand with Ukraine.”

Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaks with local officials whilst viewing the damage to the city of Irpin, Ukraine. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

During his time in Ukraine, Mr Martin will express Irish people's solidarity and reiterate our full backing for continuing sanctions against Putin's regime, for Ukraine's full EU membership and our commitment to work with EU colleagues to ensure the reconstruction of Ukraine.

“The people of Ireland stand with Ukraine and its people in the face of Russia’s immoral and unprovoked war of terror,” he said.

“The bombardment and attacks on civilians are nothing short of war crimes, and I will use my visit to express Ireland’s support for moves to hold those behind these attacks fully accountable,” he said.

The spirit and resolve of the Ukrainian people has inspired us all, and Ireland will provide every support for Ukraine’s path to full EU Membership, and continue to welcome and support civilians fleeing this war. 

Mr Martin travelled to Ukraine via Poland with his security team and his chief of staff Deirdre Gillane and a number of other officials.

The trip comes two weeks after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited him to visit Ukraine.

It is the first visit by a Taoiseach to the eastern European country.

It also comes after Mr Putin on Monday declared victory in seizing the eastern Ukrainian province of Luhansk, with his troops escalating their offensive in neighbouring Donetsk.

Mr Martin has warned previously that the Russian president appeared to be leveraging its natural gas supplies to exert maximum pressure on Europe ahead of the winter period.

It is difficult to comprehend the devastation and inhumanity of Russia's attacks on Irpin, Borodyanka and Bucha.

Clear how important it is for women and children to get to Ireland to escape trauma and brutality. We stand with Ukraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/aFcfJLn9SM

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 6, 2022

The Taoiseach has also been a vocal advocate for Ukraine’s fast-tracked membership of the EU.

Micheál Martin with local officials and members of the Irish Emergency Response Unit. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Mr Zelenskyy has previously thanked Ireland for its “active support of Ukraine’s European aspirations”.

Ireland has also taken in more than 36,000 Ukrainian refugees since Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine at the end of February.

The State has given €20m in humanitarian support and assistance to the country, as well as health equipment and medical donations worth more than €4.5m.

In April, Simon Coveney became the first foreign minister of the UN Security Council to visit Kyiv, and met with Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and defence minister Oleksii Reznikov.

Mr Coveney also visited the town of Bucha on the outskirts of the capital, where suspected killings of civilians prompted global condemnation.