Ryanair could fly up to five million passengers per year in Ukraine if there was a ceasefire, Michael O'Leary has said.

The low-cost airline is preparing for a return to the war-torn country when its skies reopen.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Business Editor Joe Lynam said Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has ambitious plans for the country.

"Michael O'Leary was giving a press conference in Warsaw and he said, if there is a ceasefire, straight away, [Ryanair] could get two million people on planes between Poland and Ukraine," he said.

"Into Lviv and Kyiv initially, and then other airports once reconstruction has started.

"Then he wanted to get six to eight routes between the two countries and he expects there to be 24 routes eventually from Poland at some stage in the coming years."

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary 11/09/2024 Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

Joe said it is both a lot of routes and pretty bullish attitude from Mr O'Leary.

Plans are being drawn up for the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet US President Donald Trump on Friday.

It is understood President Zelenskyy will travel to Washington to sign an economic deal which would include access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals.

This is something the US President has been keen to secure as compensation for military aid during the conflict with Russia.

President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 25/09/2019 (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

"We want to be secured, we want to get that money back," President Trump said.

"We're helping the country through a very, very big problem, a problem like very few people have had.

"[They] shouldn't have had this problem, because it shouldn't have happened, but it did happen, so we have to straighten it out.

"But the American taxpayer now is going to get their money back."

After talks between Russia and the US, it is believe a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is getting closer.

A Ryanair plane comes into land at Stansted Airport. Essex, © PA Archive/PA Images