On April 25, Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis met with Minister of State for European Affairs of Ireland Thomas Byrne and Deputy Foreign Minister of Lithuania Sigitas Mitkus. The visit of the high-ranking officials to Ukraine was held in connection with the opening ceremony of the first of six bomb shelters being constructed near schools under a joint program of the EU, Ireland and Lithuania.

Yevhen Perebyinis expressed his gratitude for the military-technical, financial, economic and humanitarian assistance provided by both countries, as well as for their efforts in rebuilding Ukraine and supporting the continuity of educational process for Ukrainian children in high-risk areas.

The Deputy Minister also thanked the Irish and Lithuanian sides for their comprehensive assistance in countering Russian aggression and emphasized the importance of continuing comprehensive support to further strengthen the Ukrainian army. The discussion focused on Ukraine's priority needs, particularly considering Russia's continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure.

The parties exchanged views on key aspects of cooperation in the context of Russia's ongoing armed aggression and discussed ways to strengthen Ukraine's defense potential.

Yevhen Perebyinis informed his counterparts about the current progress and further steps in Ukraine's EU accession process. “One of the key guarantees of Ukraine's security is our country's membership in the European Union,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.

The Lithuanian and Irish representatives reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine's European integration, including the prompt opening of negotiating clusters, and emphasized their countries' readiness to work toward building consensus among EU member states on Ukraine’s path to membership.