Zelensky’s first official visit to Ireland shines a light on nations’s ties with Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make his first official visit to Ireland this Tuesday, arriving in Dublin after talks in Paris and is scheduled to meet Ireland’s senior leaders and the Ukrainian community. The trip is taking place as Kyiv seeks renewed international backing for its peace efforts and for deeper economic links with EU partners.

Zelensky’s itinerary includes a courtesy call to President Catherine Connolly, a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach (Ireland's leader) Micheál Martin at Leinster House, and an address to a joint sitting of the Oireachtas (Parliament), followed by the inauguration of an Ireland-Ukraine Economic Forum aimed at bolstering trade and investment. 

The visit is being framed in Dublin as an expression of solidarity with Ukraine after nearly four years of war and as a moment to discuss practical support for reconstruction and European integration. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the visit is “an opportunity for us to express again our solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people who, on a nightly basis, are suffering from the illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia,” remarks reported to RTÉ.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Officials also note that Ireland has offered sanctuary to a large Ukrainian community since 2022 and that many of those people will be part of events during the visit. More than 120,000 Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection in Ireland since the invasion began, a fact the government highlights as evidence of the country’s practical commitment to Kyiv.

Ahead of the Dublin stop, Zelensky met in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, as international mediators seek to advance a peace plan that Kyiv says must protect its sovereignty. Reuters reports that the Irish leg of the trip will follow those discussions and will include the launch of the economic forum, underscoring that the visit mixes diplomatic pressure with trade and postwar planning.

The Irish government has been preparing significant security and protocol arrangements for the state-level reception, while stressing Ireland’s long-standing support for Ukraine and its interest in advancing a just and durable peace within the European framework. The Taoiseach has said Ireland will work with EU partners to advance Ukraine’s membership prospects and maintain diplomatic momentum.

As Zelensky addresses lawmakers and meets community members, Dublin will seek to balance moral backing with concrete plans for postwar recovery and stronger economic ties.