MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is visiting Kyiv today to meet with his Ukrainian counterparts, being the first foreign minister on the UN Security Council to do so.
His discussions with the government will focus on how Ireland can continue to provide political, security and humanitarian support to Ukraine, assist Ukraine in its application for EU candidate status, take forward further EU sanctions on Russia and hold Russia to account for its invasion.
The discussions will be held in secure locations and will see Coveney visit areas directly affected by the invasion.
Ireland has so far provided €20 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries and €33 million in non-lethal assistance for the Ukrainian military through the European Peace Facility.
A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said that "Ireland has been at the forefront of putting in place a robust EU sanctions regime and of supporting international mechanisms to hold Russia to account for grave violations of international humanitarian law, including referring the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court."
The visit comes as Ireland is set to deny the entry of Russian-registered vessels into Irish ports as part of a fifth wave of EU sanctions against Russia.
