The Government is set to announce extra support for Ukraine today as its president Volodymyr Zelenskiy makes his first official visit to Ireland.
A major security operation is in place in Dublin for the visit, with road closures, a drone no-fly zone and many people who work in the Houses of the Oireachtas told they will not have access on Tuesday.
The Irish Times understands special Garda teams have performed a security sweep of Leinster House, which will continue today, in advance of Mr Zelenskiy addressing the Oireachtas this afternoon.
As a result, Leinster House is effectively shut to all but members and essential staff, with the media and others who normally work there told to work off-site on Tuesday.
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Though the Ukrainian president travels with his own armed security detail at home and abroad, a major domestic security operation will be in place, involving the Garda, backed by the Defence Forces.
Members of the Garda emergency response unit will bolster the security cordon directly around Mr Zelenskiy, with the armed support unit and public order unit also on standby.
Members of the special detective unit, which investigates and seeks to mitigate terrorist activity and threats to national security, is also involved. The Garda roads policing unit, and motorcycle escort gardaí, will be charged with quickly moving around Mr Zelenskiy and his delegation in their cavalcade on the streets of Dublin, with support from the Garda helicopter.
Mr Zelenskiy will pay a courtesy call to President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin this morning before travelling to Government Buildings for a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
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Traffic restrictions will be in place on Chesterfield Avenue in Phoenix Park between 10am and 1pm. Roads will be restricted around Government Buildings and Leinster House from 11am, including on Kildare Street, Merrion Street and Merrion Square. Traffic around Stephen’s Green and Leeson Street will be affected from 3.30pm.
Gardaí say the public can also expect other Dublin road closures, partiucularly in the city centre, to facilitate security escorts over the course of the day.
Additional support from Ireland for Ukraine is to be announced today, with sources indicating this would amount to a further €100 million in “non-lethal” military support – including first-aid supplies, rations and fuel – and €25 million for Ukraine’s energy fund.
This is in addition to €100 million in non-lethal support announced earlier this year. It brings to more than €500 million the total support given by Ireland to Ukraine in finance, equipment and supplies since Russia invaded in early 2022.
It is also expected that Defence Forces personnel will deliver further training and equipment to the Ukrainian army next year.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee is expected to ask the Cabinet to approve Ireland’s participation in a commission on Ukraine.
This body will be responsible for determining claims for damage, loss or injury caused by wrongful acts committed intentionally by Russia against Ukraine.
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Mr Zelenskiy‘s visit comes as the Government has dropped a plan to phase out State-funded commercial accommodation for Ukrainian people by next March. The proposal, which has not previously been reported, was considered and backed by officials in December 2024 due to concerns about the cost and availability of accommodation. The Department of Justice has confirmed there is “no plan to phase out all State-funded accommodation contracts by March 2026”.
Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner for peace talks this afternoon. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to be drawn on Russia’s red lines, saying megaphone diplomacy is not helpful.
In Dublin, there will be a press conference at Government Buildings before Mr Zelenskiy delivers an address to a joint sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas. He is travelling with Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska.
The engagements will be televised and watched closely around the world and Irish authorities are keen there is a complete security shutdown to ensure that not even a minor incident, designed to embarrass rather than cause harm, could occur anywhere near Mr Zelenskiy.
The Irish Aviation Authority said it had imposed the drone no-fly zone “for national security reasons” at the request of the Department of Justice. The restriction commenced on Sunday and will remain in place until 6am on Wednesday, more than 12 hours after the Ukrainian president’s scheduled departure.
Senior Garda officers have for weeks been involved in intense planning for the visit, which began when Mr Zelenskiy arrived in Dublin Airport on Monday night. Though gardaí are hopeful the 24-hour trip to Dublin will pass off peacefully, especially as no major public event is planned, source said there are clear security concerns.
The president’s life is in danger from the Russians and groups with pro-Russian sympathies, who Garda sources regard as unpredictable and may view his presence in Ireland as an opportunity to cause damage or embarrassment with a security breach.
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However, sources also stressed there was very significant support for Ukraine in Ireland since Russia’s invasion, with more than 80,000 Ukrainians currently seeking refuge in the State. Ireland was viewed as a friendly nation and while any attack or security breach had to be guarded against, such an incident was not anticipated.
