Zelensky ‘can forget mistakes’ after Biden gaffe

Volodymyr Zelensky said he “can forget mistakes” after US President Joe Biden referred to him as “President Putin” at a Nato summit.

Mr Zelensky acknowledged the infamous gaffe of the highly-scrutinised American leader while conducting a stopover in Ireland on his return to Ukraine.

On Thursday, Mr Biden introduced Mr Zelensky as “President Putin” at a summit marking the 75th anniversary of Nato in Washington DC.

He immediately corrected himself, saying: “President Putin? He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelensky.

Asked by journalists about the mix-up on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said: “It’s a mistake. I think the United States gave a lot of support for Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so.”

The Ukrainian President held a bilateral meeting with Irish premier Simon Harris at Shannon Airport in Co Clare on Saturday.

After Mr Zelensky landed at noon, they held their first bilateral meeting on Irish soil at the airport.

The leaders hugged and shook hands after the Ukrainian leader descended the steps from his state aircraft.

Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko was also present.

The bilateral meeting focused on the conflict in Ukraine and co-operation between the two countries.

Prior to the meeting, Mr Zelensky also gave a message to the people of Ireland: “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.”

Mr Harris said he has accepted an invitation to visit Kyiv in the “coming weeks”.

The Taoiseach also invited Mr Zelensky to conduct an official visit to Ireland and added that the Ukrainian president was “very eager” to address the Irish parliament.

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

He also expressed Ireland’s full support for Ukraine’s bid towards EU membership.

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

He added: “It gave me an opportunity to express condolences in person 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 and Russian aggression.”

Speaking about Mr Zelensky generally, he said: “It never fails to amaze and inspire me as to how committed he is to the cause of Ukrainian freedom.

“And I know what he wants, above and beyond everything else, is to have a situation where his citizens – men, women and children – can live safely in Ukraine again.

“As I said to him today: ‘We will keep your people safe and we will mind them for as long as it takes, here in Ireland, they’re welcome. But I know you ultimately want them back home and they ultimately want to be back home’.

“And that’s the common aim that everyone’s working towards”.

The Irish premier confirmed Ireland’s membership of an international coalition for the return of the estimated 20,000 children.

Mr Harris, who became Taoiseach in April, offered further Irish assistance for thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly relocated to Russia and Belarus and entered into Russian re-education programmes since the war began.

He said he was “absolutely horrified” about reports of 20,000 abducted children from Ukraine.

“Russia is actively stealing children from Ukraine. It is taking young babies and children from the clutches of their parents and it is bringing them to either temporarily-occupied territories or to Russia.”

He added: “Whilst we need the war to stop and we need peace in Ukraine, we need these children back home with their parents, today, where they belong.”

Mr Harris also said Ireland would be making a contribution of seven million euros to the European Investment Bank’s “EU for Ukraine” fund, which addresses food and energy security needs, as well as support for refugees.

Asked about his view on the US president’s performance at Nato and his continued run for re-election, Mr Harris said he had recent detailed conversations with Mr Biden, adding: “I found President Biden to be as engaging and as informed – and as passionate about Ireland I must say – as I’ve ever found him to be.

“It’s absolutely not my place to give a view in terms of who should be the next president of the United States or anything to do with the election.”

Mr Zelensky and Mr Harris last met on the fringes of the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland in June.

Ireland has provided 250 million euros in non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine under the European Peace Facility and the country has welcomed more than 108,000 Ukrainians under the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

Irish Defence Forces members have trained 455 Ukrainian personnel in demining, battlefield casualty care and the use of non-lethal mine clearance equipment.