00:00Ireland's EU Affairs Minister Thomas Byrne told Euronews Morning Show Europe today on Monday
00:07that the European Commission's efforts towards trade diversification are essential
00:12as EU leaders arrived in New Delhi to try to close a free trade agreement with India.
00:16Britain has had a trade deal recently with India
00:19and has certainly put some of their goods at a competitive advantage
00:23compared to say some Irish goods
00:24and I think it's very very important that we can put in place a trade agreement with India as well.
00:28Diversification is very important.
00:30It's very important that we open up as many markets as possible
00:33and we do that and the Commission does that on all our behalf
00:37so I think it's very very welcome.
00:39Byrne said Ukraine will also be part of the discussion in India
00:43as he commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's stern remarks on Europe
00:47during the World Economic Forum in Davos last week.
00:50No I'm not going to criticise President Zelensky
00:52I think he was quite strong in his words
00:54I think it is a fact that there's been a lot of support from the European Union
00:57for European countries including Ireland for Ukraine and that will continue.
01:00I think what's happening in Ukraine at the moment is pretty unparalleled
01:03it's unconscionable, it shouldn't be happening
01:06his people are suffering a huge amount of understanding for him.
01:09Ireland is set to take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union in July.
01:15Byrne said enlargement will be one of the top priorities.
01:18We have put enlargement down as one of our top priorities.
01:21We see a huge opportunity to finish negotiations with Montenegro to really progress
01:26Albania and to have Ukraine and Moldova into the realm as well of European membership.
01:32Any date?
01:33I'm not giving a date but if the peace talks demand an earlier date
01:36then the European Union will have to work towards that.
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