Key facts
- Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin is pushing for Ukraine's EU accession bid.
- Martin aims to open all six enlargement clusters for Ukraine by the end of 2026.
- Ukraine has unlocked four of the six enlargement clusters.
- Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda sees no major obstacles to opening the remaining clusters.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin reiterated his country's commitment to advancing Ukraine's European Union accession bid during the EU leaders' summit in Brussels on October 15. Ireland, holding the EU Council Presidency until the end of 2026, has made progress on EU enlargement a key priority. Martin stated that opening all six enlargement clusters for Ukraine by the end of the year would send a strong signal to Ukrainians facing intense pressure from Russian attacks. He described Russia's actions as "appalling and... horrific," indicating that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in peace. Ukraine recently unlocked the third and fourth of the six required reform clusters. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda expressed optimism, seeing no significant obstacles to opening the remaining clusters and emphasizing the importance of positive signals for Ukraine's integration into the EU.