Coveney to 'reiterate Ireland’s continued support for Ukraine' in visit to Odessa

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney is in Odessa today, where he will reiterate the Irish government's "staunch opposition to Russia's illegal invasion"

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney will "reiterate Ireland’s continued support for Ukraine and staunch opposition to Russia’s illegal invasion" while on a visit to the country today.

Mr Coveney is in Odessa, a port city in southern Ukraine, for a one-day visit and he will meet with Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

He will also view the operation of the Black Sea Grain initiative in Odesa port and will discuss efforts to export grain and other crops from Ukraine in a bid to ease the global food crisis.

Mr Coveney is in Ukraine along with his Lithuanian counterpart, Gabrielius Landsbergis. The visit to the region will also see him meet with Mr Nicu Popescu, Moldova's deputy prime minister, in Chisinau.

Around 50,000 Ukrainians have come to Ireland as refugees since the war broke out following the Russian invasion in February. Recent days have seen Ukrainian forces reclaim significant land in the east of the country.

Mr Coveney said that Ireland's support for Ukraine six months into the war was "unwavering".

“We are now over six months into Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Ireland’s support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine is unwavering. I will use today’s visit to once again pledge Ireland’s ongoing support for the people of Ukraine. 

"This is my second visit to Ukraine since the invasion began and it is important for the Ukrainian people to know that Ireland stands firmly behind them."

The minister is due to attend the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine in New York next Thursday, and says that he will use the opportunity to brief the Council on his visit to Odessa and to "stress in the strongest possible terms Ireland’s opposition to Russia’s actions."

“As well as the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people, this war has also had a catastrophic impact on global food supply. This will be a major focus of the UN General Assembly discussions in New York next week. 

"I will later today view the operation of the Black Sea Grain initiative and discuss efforts to increase food exports from Ukraine," Mr Coveney added.