Europe’s voice must be “front and centre” of negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine, the Minister for Foreign Affairs has said.

Helen McEntee said it would not be acceptance for the EU not to be involved in shaping any deal to stop the fighting between Ukraine and Russia.

As US, Ukrainian and European delegations took part in talks in Geneva on Sunday on a potential accord, the minister said it was an “absolutely critical moment”, not just for future peace in Ukraine but across the European continent.

Referencing claims of Russian and Belarussian involvement in recent attacks on the Polish rail network and on drone incursions in Lithuania, Ms McEntee said the long term security of Ukraine and the rest of Europe depended on a lasting peace agreement.

“The EU has made it very clear

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