Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze meets with Aubrey McCarthy, Head of the Friendship Group with Ukraine in the Irish Parliament
26 August 2025, 10:38
The Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, met with Senator Aubrey McCarthy, Head of the Friendship Group with Ukraine in the Irish Parliament. She expressed gratitude to Ireland and the Irish people for their long-standing support of Ukraine. At the same time, she noted that global awareness of the urgency of supporting Ukraine is gradually fading, largely due to false expectations of possible “negotiations” between Ukraine and Russia. “That is why we must be inventive in finding ways to engage people in supporting Ukraine. And I am grateful for your efforts and for your personal visits to Ukraine, as they provide a better understanding of the situation and stronger arguments that resonate with your society,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.
Regarding potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the Committee Chair urged caution in expectations: “This is a tactic we know all too well and have experienced before. The Russians pretend to be interested in negotiations, while in reality, they only intensify their attacks.” She also warned against the narrative that “anything is better than war.” “This ‘anything’ means concentration camps in the occupied territories, the destruction of Ukrainian identity, and depriving us of sovereignty, independence, and simply the right to live,” she said. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze stressed that the only effective means of influencing Russia remain strength and pressure.
The Committee Chair also highlighted the role of European states and leaders in supporting Ukraine. She emphasized that it is important not only to provide Ukraine with weapons but also to invest in Ukraine’s defence industry, as Denmark has done—an example already being followed by many partners.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze warned against dangerous discussions of so-called territorial exchanges. She stressed that this is not about land, but about people and their subjugation. “People are being forced from their homes, stripped of their property, abused, and killed. People in the occupied territories are waiting for Ukraine to return. They are counting on it,” she said.
Klympush-Tsintsadze also thanked Ireland for its support in granting Ukraine EU candidate status and called for joint efforts to remove artificial obstacles to the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union.
The meeting also focused significantly on the state of reforms in Ukraine and the fulfilment of obligations on the path to EU membership. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze expressed confidence that close partner scrutiny of Ukraine’s processes will help keep reforms on track and ensure their irreversibility.
Regarding potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the Committee Chair urged caution in expectations: “This is a tactic we know all too well and have experienced before. The Russians pretend to be interested in negotiations, while in reality, they only intensify their attacks.” She also warned against the narrative that “anything is better than war.” “This ‘anything’ means concentration camps in the occupied territories, the destruction of Ukrainian identity, and depriving us of sovereignty, independence, and simply the right to live,” she said. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze stressed that the only effective means of influencing Russia remain strength and pressure.
The Committee Chair also highlighted the role of European states and leaders in supporting Ukraine. She emphasized that it is important not only to provide Ukraine with weapons but also to invest in Ukraine’s defence industry, as Denmark has done—an example already being followed by many partners.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze warned against dangerous discussions of so-called territorial exchanges. She stressed that this is not about land, but about people and their subjugation. “People are being forced from their homes, stripped of their property, abused, and killed. People in the occupied territories are waiting for Ukraine to return. They are counting on it,” she said.
Klympush-Tsintsadze also thanked Ireland for its support in granting Ukraine EU candidate status and called for joint efforts to remove artificial obstacles to the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union.
The meeting also focused significantly on the state of reforms in Ukraine and the fulfilment of obligations on the path to EU membership. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze expressed confidence that close partner scrutiny of Ukraine’s processes will help keep reforms on track and ensure their irreversibility.