Irish Prime Minister: Ukraine's EU accession is what its people deserve

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, whose country began its six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, said that Ukrainians deserve EU membership and expressed confidence that difficulties with neighbors can be resolved. He made these remarks on Wednesday in Dublin during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by European Pravda.

Zelenskyy had earlier voiced hope that Poland and Hungary would not block Ukraine’s EU path. Martin responded that EU accession is what the Ukrainian people deserve and need, and that they seek a European way of life and its associated freedoms while defending their country. He stressed that Russia must not win this war.

Regarding disputes with Poland and Hungary’s opposition to fast-track membership, Martin noted that bilateral issues have arisen before, citing the Western Balkans as an example. He referenced the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of conflict in Northern Ireland, as proof that such challenges can be overcome. He also described the outcome of Hungary’s recent election as a “breath of fresh air” and expressed hope it would lead to the opening of new negotiation clusters for Ukraine.

Martin promised that Ireland would work constructively with all parties to achieve progress. Ireland took over the EU presidency from Cyprus on July 1. Zelenskyy expressed hope that Ukraine would “not lose a single month” in the accession process during this semester.