Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland for an official one day visit.
He and the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, were greeted on Dublin Airport’s runway by Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin and Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Thomas Byrne.
Martin said he was “honoured” to welcome the president and first lady.
The Ukrainian President will meet the taoiseach again for a bilateral meeting and pay a courtesy visit to newly inaugurated Irish president Catherine Connolly in Áras an Uachtaráin on Tuesday.
Zelensky is also expected to address both Irish houses of parliament – the Dáil and the Seanad.
It is the first official visit to Ireland by a Ukrainian president and first lady.
He is also scheduled to attend the inauguration of the Ireland-Ukraine Economic Forum, alongside the Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Harris and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee.
The Irish government said the visit is an opportunity to underpin “the very close and warm relations” between the two countries.
In a social media post, Martin said: “Our support for the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy remains unwavering.”
More than 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have sought refugee status in Ireland since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Some have returned and about 80,000 are estimated to be still living in Ireland.
Ukrainian refugee Uriivna Olena is one of a group of women who attend Ukrainian Mass every Sunday in north Dublin and prays for the war to end.
The women are hopeful peace talks currently underway will be successful to end the war.
“We go every Sunday to church to pray and we pray for children, for humans, for soldiers, for all of people and we wish war would end soon,” she told BBC News NI after a Mass service finished last Sunday.
“It’s very hard for us.”
“All of us are paying for peace in Ukraine. We hope that this terrible war is finally ended,” said Tetiana Bilous, who is also a Ukrainian refugee.
She said the war starting has been “very difficult” and “understanding someone can have aggression against us, we are just people, citizens.”
“We were living a normal life and suddenly everything was interrupted, everything was ended.”
Ms Bilous said she is very grateful for the support from Ireland.
