Taoiseach Micheál Martin put boots on the ground in Ukraine this week, travelling to Kyiv for a quick tete-a-tete with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr Martin was there to lend Ireland’s support – to the tune of a further €125m, no less - and it really does seem like the Ukrainian president could use a helping hand right about now. As the war with Russia rumbles into a fifth year, Mr Zelensky is facing new battles on the home front, as political rivals and vocal protestors wield their own weapons.
His decision to sack popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov led to street demonstrations, while the president also dismissed Ukraine’s army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi just days later. Is the leader once hailed as “the spirit of Ukraine” gradually losing his grip on power? On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent senior journalist Sean Pollock for a look at the political, military and everyday life in Kyiv.
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism
Summary from source