{"id":26624,"date":"2022-06-23T10:12:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T14:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26624"},"modified":"2022-06-27T10:16:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T14:16:06","slug":"taoiseach-granting-eu-candidate-status-shows-solidarity-with-ukrainian-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26624","title":{"rendered":"Taoiseach: Granting EU Candidate Status Shows Solidarity With Ukrainian People"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin is in Brussels for the two-day European Council summit (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Europe is sending a message of solidarity to Ukraine by granting the country EU candidate status, Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was speaking in Brussels at what he described as a \u201cvery significant\u201d and \u201chistoric\u201d two-day meeting of the European Council when Ukraine will be formally granted candidate status for future EU membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move comes as war continues to rage in Ukraine following Russia\u2019s invasion in February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to reporters, the Taoiseach also raised fears over the prospect of famines in parts of the world due to Russian blockades on Ukrainian grain leaving the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The council meeting is expected to see EU candidate status granted to both Ukraine and Moldova. Georgia\u2019s bid to become a member state will also be acknowledged with the country formally designating as having a European perspective \u2013 a step below candidate status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a very significant European Council meeting,\u201d said Mr Martin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s historic in the sense of the enlargement of the European Union and I\u2019m particularly pleased as a long-standing advocate for Ukraine\u2019s application to candidate status to become a member of the European Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very significant for Ukraine, very significant for Moldova and, indeed, Georgia, in terms of European perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe in Ireland know what the European Union means, being a member of the European Union. It\u2019s the 50th anniversary of Ireland\u2019s decision to join the European Union, probably the single most transformative decision and event that happened in modern Irish history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, I always cannot comprehend how we could ever refuse accession to other member states, because we know that membership itself can be transformative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt can spur on reforms, can spur on economic development, and notwithstanding that Ukraine is going through a terrible, terrible, inhumane war, their cities and towns have been levelled, their people have been terrorized \u2013 the greatest humanitarian crisis since World War Two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I think today the European Union is sending a message of solidarity to the people of Ukraine that you belong to the European family, you belong to the European Union, and the decision will be taken today to facilitate your application and you will have candidate status to join the European Union along with Moldova and, over time, with Georgia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the issue of blockades on Ukrainian grain exports, Mr Martin accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of \u201cweaponizing\u201d hunger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere (are) no sanctions against the movement of food and Europe has been very clear about that because we do not want to, in any shape or form, be a catalyst for any famine or hunger and that\u2019s the big fear at the moment because of the fact that grain is not getting out of Ukraine, that there could be very significant impacts in terms of famine and that\u2019s a big worry, particularly around the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and so on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked to comment on claims that Irish imports of some Russian goods have actually increased, Mr Martin added: \u201cAll the safeguards have been taken. We\u2019re very alert to our role as a country to make sure that the sanctions are enforced and are adhered to and we\u2019ll be taking every precaution (at the) ports and general surveillance to prevent that from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut on food and materials that give rise to the production of food, we\u2019re very clear \u2013 there are no sanctions in relation to that because people need food around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPutin has weaponized food, he\u2019s weaponized energy, he\u2019s weaponized migration as part of his overall war effort, which I think is wholly immoral and wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

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