STORY
Ireland has begun its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. The presidency gives Dublin responsibility for steering the Council’s work and helping to shape the agenda across a period dominated by Ukraine, competitiveness and wider geopolitical pressures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the opening in Dublin and urged the EU to keep its promises on accession talks. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland would commit fully to the role during a geopolitically important period for the bloc.
The presidency will give Ireland a higher-profile role in managing EU business and building agreement between member states. It will also be watched closely in London because of Ireland’s importance in UK-EU relations and its influence on post-Brexit cooperation.