Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Ireland to help unblock Ukraine’s negotiations to join the European Union during a meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee. Ireland is scheduled to assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026. Zelenskyy thanked Ireland for its military, humanitarian and energy assistance, as well as McEntee’s participation in the Bucha Summit. He said Ukraine needed political obstacles to be removed and a fair process established in which progress on reforms leads to the opening of negotiating clusters. McEntee said Ireland would continue supporting Ukraine during its EU presidency and would seek fairness in the accession process. She noted that some factors affecting negotiations were outside Ireland’s control, while others could potentially be addressed in the coming weeks. The two officials also discussed continued support for Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, anti-drone technologies and humanitarian initiatives. Their talks covered cooperation with international partners, including the United States, and Ukraine’s proposals to expand protection systems and share defense expertise with European countries through bilateral cooperation and the EU’s SAFE instrument. Post navigation Ukraine, France Map Next Steps Ukraine, Norway Deepen Security Ties