Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Joe Biden calling him Putin ‘a mistake’ as he lands in Shannon to meet Simon Harris

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has thanked the Irish people for hosting Ukrainian refugees and from supporting the country “from the very beginning”.

“First of all, thank you so much for your support, thanks to Ireland for hosting a lot of Ukrainian refugees, you were with us from the very beginning of the Russian invasion,” he said.

He dismissed US President Joe Biden’s gaffe at the NATO Summit of calling him President Putin as a “mistake”.

“It’s a mistake. I think United States gave a lot of support for Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so,” he said.

The President is stopping over in Shannon Airport while on his way from the NATO summit in Washington DC.

He is meeting Mr Harris for their first bilateral where the two men are expected to discuss Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and the help Ireland has given over 100,000 refugees.

The two men previously met on the fringes of the Ukrainian Peace Summit in Switzerland last month.

Taoiseach Simon Harris announced he would be visiting Kyiv in Ukraine “in the coming weeks”.

President Zelenskyy invited Mr Harris to visit Ukraine “later this summer”.

“I look forward to doing that,” said the Taoiseach.

He also announced Ireland will contribute €7m to the European Investment Bank to an ‘EU for Ukraine’ fund which provides financial assistance for food and energy security to refugees in Ukraine.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Harris said the two leaders discussed a potential bilateral agreement on demining, energy, humanitarian assistance and food security.

“I’ve just had a very good meeting with President Zelensky. I’m very pleased to welcome to Ireland.”

He added: “I took the opportunity to expresses condolences on behalf of the people of Ireland to the people of Ukraine, to the president of Ukraine, for all the loss of civilian life throughout this brutal illegal war of Russian aggression.”

More to follow..