The Taoiseach has told President Zelenskyy that Ireland could send peacekeepers to Ukraine to help maintain a ceasefire.
It comes as French President, Emmanuel Macron, has revealed that 26 countries are willing to be part of a European ‘reassurance force’ for Ukraine.
The European troops would be a second line of defence after the Ukrainian army, according to the plans put forward by the so-called Coalition of the Willing.
The coalition, made up of around 35 countries including Ireland, also wants the US to add its might.
Last month President Trump suggested that the US could provide a “back stop” to security guarantees for Ukraine.
It is understood that that could mean American air superiority and intelligence sharing. Although Trump has ruled out sending American troops to patrol on the ground.
The 26 countries who have promised to provide troops will act as “a reassurance force in Ukraine or to being present on the ground, at sea, or in the air”, Macron said.
Russia has been quick to reject the idea of foreign troops in Ukraine.
It is still waging war in Ukraine and slowly taking more territory.
But it is also losing troops in huge numbers. According to President Macron, one million Russians have been killed or injured in the war.
Ireland will not send troops, in line with its policy of neutrality. But Taoiseach Micheál Martin has suggested that Ireland could send peacekeepers to Ukraine instead.
“Ireland is open to participating in an appropriately-mandated mission of this kind, building on our long and distinguished record of peacekeeping with the United Nations”, the Taoiseach said.
“Ireland is also playing its part in building capacity in the Ukrainian Defence Forces, including through the EU’s military training mission and through accelerating the drawdown of the €100 million in bilateral non-lethal military assistance the Government agreed earlier this year.”
The Taoiseach said he would hold discussions within government on how to ramp up Ireland’s role in Ukraine.
We should consider how “we can further intensify our political, humanitarian and non-lethal military support for Ukraine”, Micheál Martin said.
For Ukraine, the next steps depend on the US. It is hoped Trump will broker a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin that could eventually bring the war to an end.
Meanwhile the EU plans to keep up the pressure on Russia by imposing a new round of sanctions soon.