The Tánaiste Simon Harris has accused Hungary of an "appalling act" in constantly blocking Ukraine from entering accession talks with the European Union.
Speaking to the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee, the Tánaiste said: "Shame on them."
Mr Harris said a focus of Ireland's six-month presidency of the European Union next year would be accession for Ukraine, as some counties have been "knocking on the door for far too long".
He added that the EU has been "far too sluggish" in tackling the matter, and Ireland was underlining its priorities by shortly opening embassies in Moldova, Serbia and Bosnia Hercegovina.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has strongly opposed providing NATO military and EU aid to Ukraine, saying the country's EU membership would destroy Hungarian farmers and the wider economy.
Ukraine had already initiated the necessary reforms and is ready to speed up the negotiations.
Denmark to push for Ukraine inclusion in EU
It comes after Denmark said last week that it will continue preparing Ukraine for EU membership in the face of Hungary blocking negotiations, when the Nordic country takes over the presidency of the European Council from 1 July, its European affairs minister said.
"Unfortunately, Hungary is blocking and we are trying to put as much pressure there as we can and also do everything we can to make Ukraine continue with the necessary reform work," Minister of European Affairs of Denmark Marie Bjerre said.
"When we get to the point where we can actually open the specific negotiation chapters, we can be ready to close them very quickly," Ms Bjerre added.
