Zelenskyy arrived in Ireland to begin his presidency of the Council of the EU
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Ireland, where he is participating in the opening ceremony of the country’s presidency of the Council of the European Union. Meetings with European leaders are scheduled during the visit, and the main topic is Ukraine’s continued progress toward EU membership.
On July 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Ireland, where the country’s presidency of the Council of the European Union officially begins. This visit is part of Kyiv’s active pro-European integration diplomacy, as key steps regarding Ukraine’s future accession to the EU are being discussed during this period.
During the trip, meetings are scheduled with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and European Council President António Costa, during which the parties will discuss the pace of the negotiation process and the opening of new negotiation clusters. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine continues to demonstrate on a daily basis its readiness to be a full-fledged member of the European community. “Ukraine proves every day that it deserves to be an equal part of our shared European home,” the president noted, underscoring the importance of support from partners during this period.
He also expressed hope that during Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the EU, progress will be made in opening all negotiation clusters that determine the pace of European integration. This involves a complex but consistent process of aligning Ukrainian legislation with EU standards.
Ukraine, along with Moldova, was granted EU candidate status back in 2022, after which the phase of formal negotiations and legislative screening began. In 2026, the process moved into its practical phase, when the EU began opening the first negotiation clusters, although progress remains uneven due to political disagreements within the EU.
In recent months, the negotiations have been accompanied by discussions among member states, particularly regarding the stance of certain governments that are blocking or delaying procedural decisions concerning Ukraine and Moldova. Despite this, Brussels continues to declare its support for EU enlargement and the gradual progress of both countries toward full membership.
Against this backdrop, Zelenskyy’s visit to Ireland is seen as the next stage in political engagement with partners, where the key issue remains not only symbolic support but also concrete decisions regarding the next steps in the negotiation process. He announced this on his Telegram channel.
In Ukraine, the number of workers on reserve duty has increased significantly over the past year—by approximately 300,000 people—and the number of enterprises recognized as critical to the economy has also risen. The government attributes these changes to the expansion of the reservation mechanisms, particularly for frontline regions, and is preparing to update the rules.
