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Taoiseach Micheál Martin will travel to Brussels today (Wednesday) for a Summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders with their EU counterparts.

He will also attend a meeting of the European Council, beginning on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the meetings, the Taoiseach said:

“Recent years have shown clearly the importance of global cooperation if we are to manage the increasingly complex challenges the world faces. Southeast Asia is an important economic and geo-political partner for the EU, especially on issues such as climate change and an increasingly uncertain security environment. I look forward to discussing these and other issues with Leaders from the region.

“I also look forward to the meeting of the European Council which will, once again, express our support for Ukraine, for as long as it takes; and will deal with the consequences of the war in areas such as energy and the economy.

“We will be keeping pressure up on Russia – including through further sanctions – and discussing how to ensure that those responsible for the war are held to account for what they have unleashed and sustained. We will also have a strategic discussion of our relationship with the US, one of the EU’s most important global partners.

“Europe needs to ensure that our economy remains flexible and competitive in a challenging international context. We are at an inflection point in our digital and climate transition, but with the right strategic direction, the EU can continue to lead the way in creating resilient and sustainable solutions that benefit our citizens.”

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