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.

Speaking at the European Council meeting in Brussels, Mr Martin said the loan was "the price of war" and that the full enormity of the scale of death from Russia's invasion of Ukraine would not be seen until after the war ends.

Repayment after Russian reparations

"In the context of the immobilised assets, a big decision was taken the previous week by Europe to immobilise them in the long term until reparations are paid by Russia.

"In the context of this loan from the EU to Ukraine, Ukraine will not have to repay the loan until Russia pays reparations and facilitates the reconstruction of Ukraine itself.

"It was disappointing at a certain level that we didn't manage to get full unanimity on that question. But work is continuing on that. In my view, the entire reconstruction of Ukraine is an enormous programme of work ahead."

"My view still holds that if a country violates the UN charter, invades a neighbour, destroys its infrastructure, is responsible for the deaths of thousands and thousands of people... then there has to be responsibility and accountability. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Europe minister Thomas Byrne arriving for the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. Picture: Omar Havana/AP

"And Russia, in my view, in the context of those immobilised assets, would have to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine in the event of a peace settlement."

Presidential election review 

Meanwhile, a senior group of Fianna Fáil TDs has called for the party to move past its review of its presidential election campaign and focus on delivery.

However, the statement from former ceann comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl and long-serving TDs Willie O’Dea and Pat the Cope Gallagher also takes aim at Mr Martin's leadership style as "top-down" and criticises the delay in providing the review into the Jim Gavin debacle to TDs, senators, and MEPs.  

“This led to a needless sense of crisis and distrust,” they said. 

It publicly framed our discussion as adversarial. Withholding the report from TDs and senators until the 11th hour was a grievous error. It must not happen again.

"Advisers and appointed officials play important supporting roles, but elected representatives must have the ultimate authority in shaping our party’s direction."

"While our discussions were informed by the campaign report, it is clear that many of the problems with that failed campaign, also apply to how we conduct our politics on the real and pressing issues that concern us most: housing, healthcare, and cost of living. 

"There was widespread agreement on the need to reconnect more visibly with the everyday concerns of our members and constituents."