Taoiseach pledges Ireland's support for ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of Trump's Putin summit
Mr Martin attended an online leaders' meeting of the Coalition of the Willing held yesterday (August 13) in support of war-torn Ukraine.
Convened by President of France Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the meeting was held ahead of a US-Russia Summit taking place in Alaska tomorrow (August 15).
'At a critical time for Ukraine and Europe, I joined my fellow leaders of the Coalition of the Willing to discuss recent developments and the ongoing engagement with our US partners ahead of President Trump's meeting with President Putin,' the Taoiseach said after the meeting.
'We also heard from President Zelenskyy who briefed us on the situation on the ground in Ukraine and the needs of Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against ongoing Russian aggression.
'The initiative of President Trump towards ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and achieving a just and lasting peace was warmly welcomed,' he added.
'We agreed that unity is vital and that close transatlantic coordination will continue as part of our efforts to secure a ceasefire and a durable peace.
During the meeting, the leaders agreed that any peace deal must have Ukraine's involvement.
'Recalling the EU leaders' statement of 12 August, there was agreement that the people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future and that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,' Mr Martin said.
'Any diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine and Europe's security,' he added.
The leaders further agreed that any 'meaningful negotiations on a just and lasting peace should be preceded by a ceasefire', the Taoiseach confirmed.
'We committed to continue to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine,' he added.
'There was also agreement to maintain pressure on Russia to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, including through the use of sanctions and other economic measures.'
Mr Martin claimed a 'human dimension' must be at the heart of any peace deal.
'I believe that the human dimension must be a key component of a just and lasting peace for Ukraine,' he said.
'The Ukrainian children abducted by Russia must be returned to their families and communities,' he explained.
'Ireland will continue to support Ukraine, both bilaterally and through the EU, on its path towards EU membership and in its efforts to achieve a just and durable peace,' he added.
See More: Coalition Of The Willing, Ireland, Russia, Taoiseach, Ukraine
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Ukrainians in Ireland not optimistic about success of peace talks with Putin
For the Republic's huge Ukrainian community, the outcome of current peace talks will determine many of their futures. Some 100,000 Ukrainians live here, the vast majority of whom arrived since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Many have decided to stay in the Republic; others, though, will return home if peace can be achieved. Most doubt it will happen any time soon. Ukraine Action in Ireland (UAI) chairwoman Lisa Karamushka is in the east of the restive country where the war continues. READ MORE 'I can't see any major optimism here ... Just constant everyday shelling of the cities and soldiers fighting back attack after attack,' she said. Ukraine Action in Ireland chairwoman Lisa Karamushka in her home country. UAI was set up among Ukrainian refugees in Ireland and their supporters to provide medical aid and equipment to the front. So far UAI has sent 32 ambulances and 52 medical evacuation vehicles to Ukraine. Ms Karamushka said the sight of the red carpet being rolled out for Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska was 'humiliating and devastating'. 'After all the death and destruction ... Trump still considers him [at the] same diplomatic level of a partner to make negotiations with.' She believes there is nothing new in Putin's demands, which amount to wanting the world to recognise Crimea and Donetsk as part of Russia, while retaining Ukraine as part of Russia's sphere of influence. 'We have heard absolutely nothing we haven't heard before and no indication of a desire to end this war. Yet, Trump claims he has reached success. We don't see any,' she said. She takes some solace in Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelling on Monday with Europe's most important leaders. 'This gives me hope he will be in stronger position, as Europe has been so far our major supporter. Overall I'm probably not expecting anything to change, probably even hope it won't get worse,' she said. Ukraine's soldiers are the 'sole reason' for its continued independence, democracy and existence, she said. Olena Tregub, who is based in the Republic and works for the Ukrainian non-governmental organisation Nako, said expectations of a successful outcome are 'extremely low'. She believes Mr Trump and his principle negotiator, Steve Witkoff, 'fundamentally misunderstand the Russian president. 'They fail to see that for Putin, this war is not about material interests, nor even about territory. It is an ideological war. It is about the destiny of Ukraine,' she said. 'Putin wants to break Ukraine, to reduce it to a vassal of Russia,' she said. 'That goal has not been achieved. Which means Putin is nowhere near ready for peace.' She believes Mr Trump took a 'reckless gamble' in meeting Mr Putin without any deal agreed in advance. 'In doing so, he gave Putin legitimacy, handed over his own political capital and risked everything only to walk away empty-handed,' she said. 'The visuals from Alaska were disastrous: American soldiers kneeling to roll out the red carpet for Putin's plane, Trump and Putin walking together on that carpet, even riding in Trump's car. 'These images were not only humiliating for the USA internationally, but ... many Americans also saw this as a shameful display.'
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the Trump-Putin summit: a shameful day in Alaska
Ideology and personal idiosyncrasy play a large part in the dynamics of the Trump administration, alongside the urge to create spectacle and dominate the news cycle. That was all on display during Friday's Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. But another recurring theme was also glaringly obvious: the US president's submissive sycophancy towards autocrats in general and the Russian leader in particular. The aftermath has left Ukraine facing the prospect of a peace plan that looks very like capitulation. The day after the meeting, Trump broke with Kyiv and its European allies by backing Putin's proposal for a sweeping settlement based on Ukraine ceding territory it still controls. That is not a path to peace but the validation of conquest. Before the meeting, Trump had insisted a ceasefire was his urgent priority. That stance has been abandoned. He now believes a rapid deal is possible if Ukraine hands over the remainder of the Donbas, including areas not occupied by Russian troops. In exchange, Putin has offered a ceasefire along current battle lines and a written promise never to strike Ukraine or Europe again. History offers ample evidence of the hollowness of such promises. Only days ago, Trump was threatening new economic penalties should Putin walk away from Alaska without a deal. Those threats have now been shelved. Once again, the US has moved at Putin's pace, not its own. READ MORE European leaders have been scrambling to adjust to the new reality. France, Germany and the UK reaffirmed their stance that there could be no discussion of peace until the killing stops. Privately, officials expressed disbelief at Trump's claim that 'all' had agreed to leapfrog a ceasefire. Volodymyr Zelenskiy was excluded from the Anchorage talks, watching from afar as Trump indulged Putin's maximalist demands. European leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Keir Starmer and Ursula von der Leyen will now join Zelenskiy for Monday's meeting with Trump in Washington. Their task is clear but daunting: to re-anchor American policy in the shared Western strategy that Trump has just casually discarded. Their efforts will be especially focused on clarifying the vague and deeply unsatisfactory statements on security guarantees that have emanated from Washington over the past 48 hours. Trump's bowing of the knee to Putin undermines Western unity, weakens Ukraine's negotiating hand and signals to Moscow that aggression yields rewards. That is not diplomacy in the service of peace. It is theatre in the service of vanity. The cost will not be measured in news headlines but in Ukrainian lives and in the further erosion of trust between the US and its allies. What unfolded in Alaska was not statesmanship. It was appeasement.
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Group that helped Ukrainians and hosts warns of rise in exploitation since it got defunded
A GRASSROOTS SCHEME that was contracted to help provide accommodation to Ukrainian people in Ireland has said that its contract with the Irish Red Cross has not been renewed. The group, Helping Irish Hosts, says it fears that exploitation of both hosts and Ukrainian people could rise as a result. Helping Irish Hosts was formed by a group of hosts in response to the crisis that arose following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. For 18 months it has operated a hotline that gave advice to hosts and temporary protection beneficiaries in Ireland and received more than 80 calls a day on average. They also helped Ukrainians and hosts to connect and provided ongoing supports and resources to people living in Ireland under hosting arrangements. Angie Gough, the CEO and founder of the organisation, told The Journal that Helping Irish Hosts had made the case to continue on its work as the number of payments being made to households under the scheme is at its highest level ever. 'We had 26 people working part-time and a hotline that operated for 40 hours a week. We are still operating that for two hours a week on a voluntary basis. We were working on a scale equivalent to the National Women's Council, and had an average of 85 calls a day. The demand didn't go, but that hotline is gone now,' she said. She said that the organisation made the case for continuing on its work due to ongoing demand but its contract was not renewed. The Irish Red Cross told The Journal that the charity is the lead service provider for the Ukraine Pledged Accommodation Programme and that it operates the programme under 'specific direction' from the Department of Justice. A spokesperson said that earlier this year, Helping Irish Hosts shared its desire for a 'strategic shift in the programme', adding 'which is their right'. 'This change did not align with the agreed direction of the programme. The programme's scope of work and funding remain unchanged,' the Irish Red Cross added. Advertisement It said that it wants to acknowledge the work Helping Irish Hosts has done in placing people in accommodation and supporting their placements. The Department of Justice has allocated €4,538,506 to the Irish Red Cross for 2025 for providing supports including the management of accommodation pledged by the Irish public. The Department of Justice said that the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) scheme is being administered by the Department of Social Protection on its behalf and that while the Irish Red Cross has no role in the administration of that scheme, it is contracted to support the State's humanitarian response to the Ukraine crisis. 'The Department has funded the Irish Red Cross to deliver a programme of accommodation and integration supports for those who fled the war in Ukraine,' a spokesperson said. They added that information on the amount of funding provided to the Irish Red Cross in previous years is not available. Last month The Journal reported that there has been a considerable rise in the numbers involved in the scheme. Since January of this year, an additional 3,125 payments have been made to property owners. At the same time, the Government has ended contracts with over one hundred accommodation centres that have returned to their original use, which has led to Ukrainian people seeking hosted accommodation in areas where they have integrated over the last two years. Sinn Féin has called for a review of the scheme . Gough has previously stated that a rise in the number of 'solo hosts' who are not arranging their accommodation through the Irish Red Cross register of pledged accommodation means that there is now more room for both hosts and Ukrainians to be exploited. In cases that Helping Irish Hosts dealt with in the past, Ukrainian people were being charged rent and excessive 'top-up payments' despite property owners receiving payments under the scheme. 'People opt to go outside of the scheme and make their own arrangements as they feel that the scheme is too onerous and there can be a lack of response from agencies involved, and it will be worse now that we aren't there in that space. 'We could see the rise in independent hosts from early doors, and it was matched in the amount of difficult cases we would see, because we were the only ones servicing that space,' Gough said. She said that the landscape for hosting has changed in Ireland and that 'opportunities have been lost' in terms of widening the scheme out and offering it to people who want to host refugees from countries like Palestine and Afghanistan. 'How the Government thinks that everybody can be accommodated in people's homes indefinitely without support and resources and someone helping them to identify clear pathways forward, I don't know,' she added. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
