Reports from Ukraine peace talks ‘positive’ – Helen McEntee

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Feedback from participants in the talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are “extremely positive”, the Minister for Foreign Affairs has said.

US and Ukrainian officials said they were making progress towards ending the Russia-Ukraine war but provided scant details as they met in Switzerland to discuss the United States’ proposal to achieve peace.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Sunday the high-stakes talks in Geneva were “very worthwhile”.

Asked about the talks while arriving for a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels on Monday, Helen McEntee welcomed the discussions.

“I think the reports from all sides were extremely positive,” Ms McEntee said.

“I think it’s really welcome that we’ve had the discussions.

“It’s very clear, obviously there’s further work that needs to be done.”

“I think certainly there were very positive discussions that took place, and we hope that that will continue today and into the week.

“We’ll have our own EU foreign affairs ministers VEC meeting on Wednesday morning, and obviously look forward to discussing it further with colleagues then.”

Ms McEntee and other EU trade ministers are to meet with European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic, US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer on Monday to discuss tariffs.

Ms McEntee said there was “space to make further progress” and said Ireland would be pushing for reduced tariffs on areas to protect its pharma, whiskey and agri-food industries.

She said there would be “many other areas” raised.

“That’s what I hope we can make progress on in the lunch today,” she said.

“Ireland will be working hard and will be making the case, as I will be today, to make sure that medtech is very much part of that, to make sure that our whiskey industry and our agri-food industry is part of that as well.”