Odesa, 14 September 2022 (TDI): Foreign Minister of Ireland, Simon Coveney met with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday. Minister Coveney reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to continued support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, @simoncoveney, is in Ukraine today.
The Minister will meet with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reiterate Ireland’s continued support for Ukraine and staunch opposition to Russia’s illegal invasion.
Read more 👉 https://t.co/een61bJPP5 pic.twitter.com/nU1bnZvG55
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) September 14, 2022
Minister Coveney visited the operation of the Black Sea Grain initiative in Odesa port. Moreover, he discussed the initiatives to export grain and other commodities from Ukraine in an attempt to address the world food crisis.
Remarks of Foreign Minister of Ireland:
Irish Foreign Minister said, “We are now over six months into Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Ireland’s support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine is unwavering.
I will use today’s visit to once again pledge Ireland’s ongoing support for the people of Ukraine. This is my second visit to Ukraine since the invasion began and the Ukrainian people need to know that Ireland stands firmly behind them.
I will attend the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine in New York next Thursday and will take that opportunity to brief the Council on my visit and to stress in the strongest possible terms Ireland’s opposition to Russia’s actions.
As well as the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people, this war has also had a catastrophic impact on the global food supply.
This will be a major focus of the UN General Assembly discussions in New York next week. I will later today view the operation of the Black Sea Grain initiative and discuss efforts to increase food exports from Ukraine.”
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Ireland and Ukraine relations
Bilateral relations between both states started with Ukraine’s independence in 1992. Moreover, several global UN Conventions that govern bilateral cooperation in various fields are signed by Ukraine and Ireland.
Ireland collaborates with Ukraine as an EU member in accordance with the relevant EU-Ukraine agreements. According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the total value of products and services exchanged between the two nations in 2018 was 532,6 million USD, increasing 160% from 2017.
The total amount of commerce in 2019 rose by 34,3% in comparison to 2018 and totalled 715,6 million USD. Furthermore, Ireland has also repeatedly supported efforts to end Russia’s attack on Ukraine at the EU and UN levels.
