Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cut short his visit to Dublin on Wednesday, warning that the Kremlin would soon launch a new large-scale attack on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy was attending the first day of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and, during a press conference with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, told reporters he would leave Ireland immediately.
“We know that Putin has been preparing this massive strike against Ukraine for some time,” Zelenskyy said. “Tonight, that is the threat we are facing,” he continued, warning his citizens to heed air raid alerts.
He thanked his Irish counterpart, emphasizing that “throughout all these years of this war, there has been consistent support” from Ireland, despite the country’s longstanding policy of military neutrality.
In late May and early June, the Kremlin launched massive air attacks on Ukraine, killing more than 14 people and injuring many more. In recent months, Kyiv has struggled to defend against Russian ballistic missiles, especially as it runs low on American-made Patriot interceptors.
Gerardo Fortuna contributed reporting from Dublin.
