Taoiseach: EU loan to Ukraine sends strong signal of solidarity

Micheál Martin adds that it was 'disappointing' that EU leaders did not opt to secure the loan against Russia's frozen assets

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, third from right, with the prime ministers of Belgium, Bart De Wever; Luxembourg, Luc Frieden; Latvia, Evika Silina; and Estonia, Kristen Michal, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas at the EU summit in Brussels. Picture: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP 

Europe has sent a very strong signal of solidarity to Ukraine, the Taoiseach has said, after EU leaders agreed a €90bn loan to meet urgent financial needs.

However, Micheál Martin said it was "disappointing at a certain level" that EU leaders failed to agree on the preferred option for many of securing that loan against Russia’s frozen assets in the EU.