what reason did coveney travel to kjiv

cute geoge

Is this just a mad attempt for more publicity ,Are ireland doing as much as we can to support Ukraine without losing our neutrality sure we could send some more minor arms but that surely would not need our minister to travel out there .A bit of a joke really

markodaly

Does this need a new thread, no it really doesnt.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241732/what-reason-did-coveney-travel-to-kjiv

Numerous TD have flown in and out of Ukraine since the war started

Timmy Dooley has been over at least twice

https://www.thejournal.ie/timmy-dooley-billy-kelleher-lviv-ukraine-fianna-fail-5703093-Mar2022/

Not sure why it needs a new thread?

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241732/what-reason-did-coveney-travel-to-kjiv

He was invited.

Whatdoesitmatter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241732/what-reason-did-coveney-travel-to-kjiv

I hear there's good hunting over their at the moment

waterwelly

We are a farty little island in the middle of the sea, irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, not sure what this will achieve, nothing I suspect.

I am sure the irish media are all over it and prime time will cover it tonight, hell he might get the morbid slot on the late late tomorrow night.

So I guess one thing it will achieve is to make a lot of little people in RTÉ feel important about themselves.

SEPT 23 1989

If I had to guess I would say gunrunning

Crocodile Booze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927500#Comment_118927500

If you're Irish, and you hold such a low opinion of the place, move abroad to somewhere more important then. If you're not Irish, then what are you doing here?

Richard Hillman

Kudos. Marketing. Personal positioning.

RTE were giving it the large one about him being the first foreign minister of the security council to visit Ukraine since the war. Even though a PM on the security council was in Kyiv the other day.

Coveney is the media/NGO golden boy. He is one of them. He plays the game.

Dempo1

Have to say it seemed a completely over the Top, Irish Defence forces, Armed Gardai, Ukrainian Special forces protection, I don't recall other irish politicians who were there recently with such Entourage, ludicrously over the Top and likely a publicity stunt.

Great man for promising more financial supports, he should perhaps take a look at the Train Wreck happening here, just Bizzare and it seems Irish Political leaders more concerned about what the World and EU Stage think of them.

In essence, utter BS

Besides haven't the Ukrainians suffered enough 😉

Markus Antonius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927500#Comment_118927500

Is this about climate change?

TheValeyard

Fair fcuks to him heading over there. Every bit the West can do to help Ukraine matters.

While we may not be a military power, we are most definitely a soft politicial power with a very good ability and record for helping people reach agreement, deals or persuading other leaders.

Fasano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927553#Comment_118927553

You have to admire his PR people though, or at least his own ability to publicise himself.

The first Foreign Minister from a UN security council member called Simon, to visit Kyiv since war broke out. That is big news.

Or at least it would be, if there hadn't already been four actual Prime Minsters of NATO countries that have been there, but I guess none of these were called Simon.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927583#Comment_118927583

He's our Minister for Defence and our Minister for Foreign Affairs, surely nobody is having a hard time understanding why he would travel? It is surely obvious to you as to why the Foreign Minister of an EU state would be heavily guarded when walking around wartime Kyiv?

This place is all too predictable these days. Our defence and foreign minister travels to Ukraine (like many government officials from all over Europe have done) and the usual suspects are whinging.

If he hadn't travelled, the same suspects would be whinging.

Whatever the government does it's wrong, and the opposite is what they should have done. There is no objectivity anymore.

Gatling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927583#Comment_118927583

Pretty much standard fare for vip politicians over seas just as usual most people haven't a clue about what goes on and when

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927500#Comment_118927500

Self hating Irish people are very strange but seem to be quite common here on boards.

Donald Trump

Minister for Foreign Affairs (and Minister for Defence) travels abroad shocker.

Cluedo Monopoly

Coveneys reputation is in tatters so it was a completely selfish attention seeking trip.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927583#Comment_118927583

I'd say you'd have walked over from Dublin to Ukraine yourself, 100% by foot (including on water) all on your own with just your lad in your hand and used it to batter any left-behind Ruskies you encountered along the way.

Security detail for any foreign dignitary is standard practice - even in countries in peacetime. If Coveney went to DC he'd be traveling around in a motorcade with regular cops on bikes stopping traffic ahead of his route of his car and Secret service lads following with machine guns hanging out the backs of those black jeeps they use.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927694#Comment_118927694

I care less if he travels, I'm questioning the need for the Entourage, utterly preposterous and over the Top

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927738#Comment_118927738

As already pointed out, he was invited. And as has also been printed out I am sure ye would have had no comment whatsoever to make if he had turned down the invite.

There is a world in which someone you don’t like or agree with can do the right thing you know

Cal4567

Needs to get himself a higher profile on the world stage. Cannot see him just being a TD on the opposition benches unless he becomes FG leader.

For a week now, politicians from a lot of countries have traveled to Kiev. Not really sure why they all have to show up though. Seems as much as an ego thing.

Shame he didn't bring all the equipment going to waste in the Curragh with him.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927752#Comment_118927752

Again preposterous and utterly pointless, seriously, do you think anyone even notices he's in DC apart from those he's meeting

And before you go off, I lived and worked in DC and was in attendance at 2 events at the Irish Embassy before Coveneys time, Motorcade my arse 🙄

If you donate $20m you get an escorted tour of a warzone, including a photo op with at least one burnt corpse.

Patreons who donate more than $50m get to meet Zelensky, and get a free green fleece of the type he has been wearing.

Donate more than $100m of lethal aid and Zelensky will appear at your event via video link and say that your country has been more helpful than the rival country of your choosing.

Yurt2

What is with some people? You don't have to be a Fine Gael lackey to admit that he's been one of the best Foreign Ministers we've had in the history of the State.

He's the country's highest ranking diplomat and we're on the Security Council of the UN. The man is doing his job.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927775#Comment_118927775

Imagine the fallout if they can't protect a visiting dignitary?

Someone wouldn't have to have it in for Coveney personally to attack him. He could be attacked either as an attack on Ireland, or else an attack on the US if he were visiting there.

Your own personal opinions about the individual are obscuring the practical realities.

Suppose Ireland invites the President of <insert random country here> and said President is left to his own devices and gets attacked in Dublin.....wouldn't be a great look for Ireland now would it?

As for Kyiv, it's not as if the oul' Russians are known to shy away from the oul' assassinations. If you were going to assassinate a representative from a relatively high-profile country that wasn't in NATO, you wouldn't find too many better choices.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927738#Comment_118927738

Indeed, both him an Leo looking a popular win. Leo putting Eamonn back in his playpen last night.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927762#Comment_118927762

Look, he has you and others fooled so that's the main thing. Success for Simon. I personally think he should no longer be in cabinet. I hope bad people didn't hack his phone in Kyiv or that he wasn't telling porky pies again.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927796#Comment_118927796

Coveney, he's utterly irrelevant to me, I've not personally attacked him, I've questioned correctly, the Ludicrous Entourage, I did however forget to mention the video footage released with him surrounded by armed Gardai and soldiers , all very convenient and clearly staged.

Screams Publicity Stunt

KilOit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927500#Comment_118927500

In the grand scheme of things Ireland is number 6 in the world for GDP per capita and 34 in GDP for a "farty little island" we're up there with the big players. Most countries can only dream to be like Ireland. maybe travel more to get a little more perspective on the world

Allinall

I wonder do other countries have as many sad, bitter people with super inferiority complexes?