Elaine Loughlin: Ukraine is on the minds of all political leaders — but why is Palestine not on agenda?
Taoiseach Micheal Martin welcomes president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen as she arrives at the European Political Community (EPC) summit at the Convention Centre Dublin. Picture: Brian Lawless/Press Association
Two wars, two very different responses.
Just hours before 50 world leaders arrived at Dublin's Convention Centre, Israel bombed Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, killing at least six people including surgeon Rizk Abu Shaira.
Hospitals have a protected status under international law, but Israel has repeatedly targeted healthcare facilities; Nasser Hospital was previously struck at least four times during a single deadly attack in 2025.
The vast majority of Gaza's 2m people now live in tents or the wreckage of bombed out buildings. With Israel blocking machinery into the strip, drainage systems have been destroyed, leading around 40,000 family shelters being flooded when torrential rains hit in recent days.
As a succession of political leaders arrived on the red carpet in Dublin city centre, the focus was very much on Ukraine.
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With world leaders clambering to be part of brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, the people of Palestine, denied humanitarian aid and trapped in an open air prison, have yet again been forgotten.
The Dublin summit came after two-day trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi between Russia, Ukraine, and the US concluded some progress but no breakthrough.
Donald Trump's team, which includes the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, immediately travelled to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin before flying to Dublin to sit down with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday night.
A major concern of EU leaders at the European Political Community summit was remaining relevant and getting Europe back into the room.
Arriving at the meeting, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen pledged to support "Ukraine, be it in war time or in peace time".
She said the commission is preparing what will be the 22nd package of sanctions against Russia as well as a proposal to "cover the financial needs of Ukraine in 2027".
Both, she said, will be ready before the next meeting of the European Council on November 26-27.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin told reporters that Europe “should be at the table” at diplomatic meetings involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US.
It is expected the 27 members of the EU, when they return tot he Convention Centre on Friday morning, will also discuss appointing a figurehead to take on this work.
Israel's actions in Gaza and the prospect of European-wide actions against Israel were put to Martin. The Taoiseach said there wouldn't be any "outcomes" from the gathering in relation to sanctions against Israel.
He has described the blockage of "vital humanitarian aid" into Gaza and the violence of settlers in the West Bank as "absolutely unacceptable".
"All of that seeks to undermine any potential viability of a two-state solution, which is the collective agreed position of the European Union."
Real action, similar to the raft of sanctions that Russia has been hit with, is not on the agenda.
"There is divergence of opinion across the 27 member sates, and it has been very difficult on the trade and economic front to get a 27-member state position. That's the unfortunate reality on that," Martin said.
As around 60 people took part in a protest organised by Mothers Against Genocide on Dame Street across the city centre, European leaders continued to stress the need to support Ukraine as they filtered into the Convention Centre.
Later, Martin who chaired the meeting, was flanked by European Council president António Costa on one side and Zelenskyy on the other, said the European security environment has been" fundamentally reshaped by Russia’s brutal war of aggression on Ukraine".
“What is happening to Ukraine goes against all of our values and all that we stand for. That is why it is a particular honour to welcome you, Volodymyr, and to have this opportunity to reiterate in person our absolute commitment to standing with Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes.
“The people of Ukraine deserve a just and lasting peace. They deserve to determine their own future. They have shown themselves to be brave and strong beyond measure, and it is long past time for Russia to stop this immoral war," Martin told his fellow political heads.
- Elaine Loughlin is Political Editor.
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