Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is “waiting for the results” of US envoy Steve Witkoff’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a possible way to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking in Dublin alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Zelensky emphasized that Witkoff is welcome in Ukraine if the talks lead to “real, specific dialogue, not just words.” On his first official visit to Ireland, Zelensky also secured additional support, including €100 million in non-lethal military assistance and €25 million for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ireland and Ukraine also signed the 2030 Roadmap on partnership, strengthening cooperation in cyber resilience, education, culture, and economic ties.
00:00public broadcaster of Ukraine. First question to you, Mr. President, you mentioned the peace plan,
00:14the special invoice of Trump went to Moscow after the negotiations with Putin. Further steps will
00:23have to take place. Will Europe be part of this process? And there are also points that are not
00:32frozen assets. So do you see any possibilities of reaching the final agreement at the EU Council
00:39in December, given all the concerns and demands which Belgium has expressed before? Thanks.
00:47Thank you so much.
00:48Thank you for your question.
00:51First and foremost, there will be a meeting of the American delegation in Russia. We will be
01:01awaiting for respective signals from them. They would like to report immediately after the meeting
01:06specifically to us. I think based on these signals, depending what they will be like,
01:12will depend the future of our future steps. These steps will be changing today almost on an hourly
01:20basis. We will be getting signals. And if those signals are going to work, as fair play, if it's a fair play with our partners, if it's going to be perceived as fair play by our partners, perhaps we will then meet very soon. We will soon meet with the American delegation. At what level we'll see? It depends, again, on the signals we're going to get. If the signals are going to be like, that will give us the opportunity and chance,
01:48chance and a chance of quick for quick solutions, global and quick solutions, then the level will be high. If this is still going to be at the level of dialogue,
01:58there's, you know, there's been a lot of dialogue, but we need results every day. Our people are dying with all due respect to all nations of the world who are supporting and helping us. Some of them do. Some of them don't. Unfortunately, Ukrainians, it's Ukrainians who are dying. The dialogues can continue, of course, but we need the results. We need the outcome.
02:16We can simply talk or we can or we can achieve the maximum results so we could bring the end of the war closer. I'm prepared to support all signals. I'm prepared to meet with President Trump. It all depends on today's talks. Thank you.
02:31And could I say, first of all, I endorse that message very strongly. A peace settlement is required. A ceasefire is required. Too many people are dying in what is a terrible and horrific war.
02:43In relation to the immobilized assets, the Irish position is very clear. We support the utilization of the immobilized assets to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine and to support Ukraine financially.
02:59We support the Commission's proposals in terms of a collateral loan on the back of these immobilized assets towards that objective of supporting Ukraine financially and also the reconstruction.
03:13The principle underpinning our position is that when the UN Charter is violated in such a brutal manner, when there is devastation of civilian infrastructure, energy infrastructure, of cities and so forth, there has to be a deterrence against such behavior into the future.
03:35And in my view, the application of the immobilized assets represents both a deterrence to future activity.
03:45There has to be accountability. There has to be some responsibility on the aggressor who has wreaked such devastation on a country.
03:54Secondly, there's a very practical issue of the enormity of the reconstruction of Ukraine and the cost of that and who's going to pay for that.
04:03It cannot just only be the European taxpayer. Europe did not start this war. Europe tried everything to prevent this war. European leaders, I witnessed their reports back to us when they pleaded with President Putin not to invade Ukraine.
04:19So that is our position. I hope that the December meeting will come to a conclusion.
04:24We fully respect the concerns of the Belgian government, fully respect, and these issues have to be ironed out, and there has to be a collective agreement across the European Union.
04:34And yes, it will be challenging to get that collective agreement, but Ireland is very clearly supportive of the Commission's position.
04:40Thank you. Next question to Paul Cunningham.
04:43Paul Cunningham from RT.
04:45Lascavo prossimo di Irlandi, Pani Presidente.
04:48If I can ask you first, you mentioned the need for a fair and decent peace plan.
04:54Some believe that your Parliament faces a real dilemma, either a bad peace deal soon or a worse peace deal next year or the year after,
05:02given some Russian advances in around towns like Bogrovsk, which they claim to have taken.
05:07What's your response to that analysis? And, Titoch, you mentioned about the big push for Ukraine to join the European Union.
05:14We have many tens of thousands of Ukrainians here who are on temporary protection.
05:18If they're going to be joining the European Union, can't you make a one-off to ensure that they will be able to apply for citizenship
05:24and they wouldn't have to wait five years because at the moment the clock hasn't started ticking because they're under temporary protection?
05:31Thank you for your question.
05:38First and foremost, I'd like to say there will be no simple solutions.
05:41We understand what's happening.
05:43We understand who we're dealing with.
05:46The question is, it's not about the complexity of decision-making.
05:51Those who are capable of making decisions will do that.
05:54I am capable of making decisions.
05:56It's important that this should be all open and fair and just.
06:01There would be no game behind Ukraine's back.
06:03Nothing would be decided without Ukraine, about Ukraine, about our future.
06:07If we're talking about the guarantees for security of Ukraine, which there are, and there is a signal about the frame document,
06:18then we have to clearly understand what it's going to be like and how it's going to work.
06:22At least basic things, because, you see, it's not an experiment for us.
06:32We're talking about our people, our living people.
06:36The Russians started the war, and there are no alternatives in this formulation.
06:41They started the war.
06:43The world is a witness to that.
06:44They came with the aggression to annihilate us.
06:47We stopped them.
06:48Europe helped us.
06:50America helped us.
06:51Russia has not managed to occupy Ukraine because of the resilience of Ukrainian people and the strength of Ukrainian army and, of course, our partners.
07:05We stopped them, and as the United States said, we stopped them, shedding a lot of blood, and we fully support them.
07:13But we have to stop the war in such a manner that, in one year, Russia would not come back with a third invasion over the last ten years.
07:20That may happen.
07:21That can happen, because that was their main objective.
07:24They have not reached their objectives to occupy our state.
07:28I'm not sure that their objectives changed.
07:31They could have postponed their objectives, but we need support, a defense for that.
07:36What will happen tomorrow when our soldiers will go back home, fairly go back home.
07:45Unfortunately, not all of them.
07:46Many of them won't come back home alive anymore.
07:48When they go back home, become engineers, teachers, various professions, and they'll come back.
07:54But the Russia will continue building up their army and defenses, preparing for the next invasion.
08:00Who can tolerate and endure that?
08:03Our people are strong.
08:05But with all due respect, you know, that's why we want a certainty.
08:09We're grateful to the United States for the fact that they are prepared to be a guarantor of this security.
08:16But we want these guarantees.
08:18We want to understand this.
08:19We're grateful to Europe.
08:22We are grateful for Ukraine being seen in the European Union.
08:27And for us, it's important when this century or next century we're going to be in the European Union.
08:33So a certainty for the Ukrainian people is what we need.
08:38I was one of the early advocates and supporters of Ukrainian membership of the European Union.
08:44It is a critical part of the future security of Ukraine, but also as a country that has experienced a transformative impact of membership of the European Union.
08:56We believe the Ukrainian people deserve to experience similar transformative impact of being a member of the European Union.
09:07And that would give freedom of movement to all Ukrainians and all Europeans, which is a very basic principle of the Union.
09:15We don't contemplate advancing that in advance of membership, although what we're endeavoring to do when we assume the presidency of the European Union in the latter half of next year is to accelerate the enlargement agenda.
09:31That is one of the key objectives for the Irish presidency, to see can we get chapters negotiated.
09:38We've discussed that, and we'll be very proactive in that regard.
09:45We will continue to engage with the Ukrainian community in Ireland, and obviously we understand it's under the VOTP at the moment, the directive.
09:55But obviously we're going to have to work with the Ukrainian community who have been here for quite some time now since the war.
10:01Many have come, many have gone back to Ukraine or elsewhere, and many are contributing in terms of work and in terms of setting up businesses as well.
10:14Thank you, Jennifer, from Bloomberg.
10:16Hi, President.
10:19A question for you.
10:20You said that the latest plan that emerged from the recent talks looks better.
10:25Can you give us some details of what's in it?
10:28And do you have plans to meet with U.S. envoy Steve Whitcoff in the coming days?
10:37If yesterday and with him and with all his team, and we spoke, I think I already answered on your question that we are waiting for the results in America-Russia negotiations, today's results.
10:56And I will react according to the results.
11:00If I feel that we can count on real, specific dialogue, not just words, with some results, we will meet.
11:10And he's very welcome to Ukraine.
11:12But I'm not sure that they are up on this way, this day, they are ready to come.
11:18But who knows?
11:20So I want to wait till today's evening.
11:24And what about the points?
11:27I'm not sure that I'm ready to share all the points of this plan.
11:31But I think that you saw a lot of things in media.
11:34But what can I say?
11:35I think that the most sensitive things and the most difficult questions or questions with the challenges, it's about territories.
11:44It's about frozen assets.
11:49Because I can't just myself speak on behalf of European leaders.
11:54It's about money, which are frozen, but in Europe.
11:59It's about decision, common decision of Europeans.
12:01I can only have partnership and share my view of this and support, and they can support me.
12:09But I can't decide on behalf of leaders about the money which are in EU.
12:15And this is, so this is the second, this whole point I mentioned about security guarantees.
12:19And we count on strong security guarantees from the United States, both United States and Europe and some other leaders.
12:27And you know that the topic of coalition of the buildings is very, we work with this.
12:34So these, I think these three topics, the most sensitive and the most important, and I think that our teams will continue to work on it.
12:48Our final question from Louise Byrne.
12:51One more.
12:53President Zelensky, yourself and the Taoiseach both spoke about the number of Ukrainian people living in Ireland.
12:58And you said yourself it has not been easy.
13:01The Irish government recently reduced the number of guaranteed days that a Ukrainian refugee is in state accommodation.
13:08Are you concerned that that means that the support that the Irish government once had for Ukrainian refugees is not as strong as it was?
13:16And then Taoiseach, may I ask you, you've spoken at length about the supports that need to be put in place for Ukraine after the war.
13:23What does that look like from an Irish point of view?
13:26And will Ireland be sending peacekeepers to the Ukraine?
13:29Okay, I'll go first now, will I?
13:34Please, let me go.
13:36Or do we want consistency?
13:38Okay.
13:39Could I, will I go?
13:41Yeah, yeah, please.
13:42First of all, we will continue to support Ukrainians in Ireland.
13:47And in respect of future support of Ukraine, in the event of a CSAR or a peace settlement,
13:54yes, Ireland will be open to monitoring any CSAR or indeed aspects of a peace settlement.
14:05We have long experience in the Lebanon, in Africa, in terms of peace monitoring, peacekeeping,
14:15and certainly we're all wishing for the end of the war.
14:20And Ireland is certainly open to contributing to peacekeeping and to peace monitoring in Ukraine.
14:28We are also obviously willing to help in reconstruction.
14:35And quite a number of Irish companies are operating within Ukraine.
14:39And particularly in the construction field, I think there's a lot that can be done there.
14:44We already provide a lot in terms of, you know, shelters for schools, school meals,
14:50and we provide supports in those areas, humanitarian supports and so on.
14:54And we're open again to doing, along with our European Union colleagues,
15:00you know, to invest in a range of programs to support the reconstruction of Ukraine.
15:05If I may, I will answer that in Ukrainian.
15:13Ireland, from the very beginning of the war, chose this side, in my opinion, an honest side,
15:21not because I'm the president of Ukraine, but because that's the right thing.
15:26It's values-based.
15:30And Ireland chose the side of supporting Ukraine and helping Ukrainians.
15:35Ireland has been helping Ukrainians who are stayed behind in Ukraine
15:40and has been helping Ukrainians who have moved to Ireland.
15:45And we're grateful for that.
15:49The way I was brought up is that I can't criticise for help,
15:59whether it's going or getting more or less.
16:02We should be grateful.
16:04We should be grateful and not to forget about this.
16:07And I do believe very much that you've been doing this not just to help us simply,
16:12but you've been doing this because you understand what we were going through.
16:17You understand it, I think, historically speaking, and based on values.
16:25And therefore, we are grateful for your choice.
16:29The question is not about the size of health assistance.
Be the first to comment