Zelensky visits Ireland and meets PM Harris
Президент України Володимир Зеленсьий зустрівся з прем'єр-міністром Ірландії Саймоном Гаррісом в аероорту Шеннон, Ірландія, 13 липня 2024 року. Фото: REUTERS / Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plane, returning from the United States of America after participating in the NATO summit, landed in Ireland, where he met with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris.
This is reported by the RTÉ channel.
As the media outlet notes, the Ukrainian president's plane landed at Shannon International Airport in Ireland on the way from the US, where Zelensky participated in the NATO summit and held several meetings.
At the airport, Zelensky was met by the Prime Minister of Ireland, Simon Harris, and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland, Larysa Herasko.
During a short address, Zelensky thanked the people of Ireland for support from the beginning of the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and for accepting a significant number of Ukrainian refugees.
According to RTÉ, he also said that US President Joe Biden calling him "President Putin" during a press conference at the closing of the NATO summit on July 11 was "a mistake". The Ukrainian leader noted that he can forget it because the United States is very supportive of Ukraine.
It is reported that Zelensky and Harris will discuss the war in Ukraine during a bilateral meeting.
"Harris will confirm Ireland's support for Ukraine's bid to join the EU and will offer help to thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia and Belarus after the invasion. He will confirm Ireland's membership in the international coalition calling for the return of about 20,000 children," the journalists said.
RTÉ adds that Ireland's PM will also express his condolences to Zelensky regarding the loss of citizens during the war, in particular as a result of Russia's attack on the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv on July 8.
We will remind that Ireland has agreed to support the residents of Mariupol, Donetsk region, in the evacuation and future reconstruction of the city Mariupol Reborn.
Reference
Ireland declared neutrality during World War II. The then prime minister of the country, Eamon de Valera, justified this status by the fact that it allowed the country not to become a pawn in the games of great powers.
Neutrality has been Ireland's official policy for most of its independent history and remains widely popular. Critics say this and low defense spending make the country dependent on allies.
