Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stops off in Ireland on return to Europe from North America

Mr Zelensky stopped at Shannon Airport on the west coast of Ireland as he returned to Europe from North America, where he addressed the UN Security Council in New York.

He also met with US President Joe Biden at the White House, addressed the Canadian parliament in Ottawa, as well as talks with the country's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On Saturday, Mr Zelensky shared a photograph of him holding a meeting with the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, at Shannon Airport.

"I am grateful for Sudan's consistent support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"We discussed common security challenges, namely the activities of illegal armed groups financed by Russia.

"I invited him to support the Grain From Ukraine initiative and take part in this year's summit.

"We considered possible platforms for intensifying cooperation between Ukraine and African countries."

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said it could confirm it had been a "technical stopover", and no Irish government ministers had been involved.

"The department can confirm this was a technical stopover, with no bilateral element," they said.

"As per normal practice for stopovers at this level, protocol staff of the department were on the ground to offer practical assistance."