An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has made an unannounced trip to Ukraine where he has met with President Volodomyr Zelensky.
Varadkar took a train from Poland at around eight o’clock on Wednesday morning and has also visited the cities of Bucha and Irpin.
The Taoiseach announced €5m in further financial support of Ukraine for humanitarian aid to those impacted by the attack on the Kakhovka dam.
He also laid a wreath in memory of children killed in the conflict.
Leo Varadkar will also visit the Lesya Ukrainka Theatre and meet the cast performing a production of Brian Friel’s Translations, some of whom recently performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
At a press conference after an hour-long meeting with Mr Zelensky, Mr Varadkar insisted Ukraine would prevail in their unwanted conflict with the oppressive regime of Russia:
“Perhaps Russia believes that it can break the resolve of the Ukrainian people, but I know from the way you fought for the past few years, and from my visit here, that it cannot,” he said.
“My visits to the sites of these atrocities this morning, and my meeting here in Kyiv, has confirmed to me that Russia will not succeed, and Russia cannot be allowed to succeed.
“This is the 21st century and the idea that national boundaries can be changed by violence, or the democratically elected governments can be overthrown by foreign invasion, must perish.
“We need to make sure that Ukraine succeeds, that it wins this war, so that no other country gets attacked.
“If Russia thinks that targeting civilians and essential infrastructure will discourage Ukraine’s friends, including Ireland, well, it’s wrong.
“Volodymyr Zelensky, we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Ukraine will prevail and Ukraine will be rebuilt.”
