DUBLIN — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Dublin on Wednesday as Ireland assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, using the occasion to press for faster progress on Ukraine's bid to join the bloc while Irish leaders reaffirmed support for Kyiv.
Zelenskyy arrived for the opening of Ireland's six-month presidency of the Council, during which Dublin will chair meetings of EU member states and help steer negotiations on the bloc's legislative agenda through the end of 2026. Ireland has identified competitiveness, values and security among its priorities for the presidency.
In a message posted on X after arriving in Ireland, Zelenskyy said Ukraine hoped Ireland's presidency would deliver "tangible progress" toward EU membership by opening all remaining negotiating clusters in Kyiv's accession process.
"Every day, Ukraine proves that it deserves to be an equal part of our shared European home," Zelenskyy wrote, adding that he would meet Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and European Council President António Costa during the visit.
Martin said discussions with Zelenskyy would focus on increasing pressure on Russia, supporting efforts toward what he described as a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, and advancing Ukraine's path toward EU membership.
The opening ceremony at Dublin Castle marked the start of Ireland's eighth presidency of the Council of the European Union and its first since 2013. During the presidency, Ireland will oversee ministerial meetings, coordinate negotiations among member states and represent the Council in talks with other EU institutions on legislation.
Ukraine formally began accession negotiations with the European Union in 2024, but the process requires unanimous support from member states and is expected to take several years. Kyiv has continued to seek faster movement on negotiations while the war triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion remains ongoing.
Security was heightened across central Dublin for the visit and the presidency's launch, with traffic restrictions around Dublin Castle as Irish authorities hosted senior European officials attending the opening events.
Ireland's presidency runs from July 1 through Dec. 31, during which Dublin will chair the Council of the European Union and oversee negotiations across a broad range of EU policy areas while continuing to advocate support for Ukraine.
