Ukraine urges swift publication of Irish investigation into alumina exports

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged on a visit to Dublin on Wednesday that Ireland swiftly complete an investigation into whether Irish alumina exports to Russia are being used to make aluminum for weapons.

Ireland has come under mounting pressure in recent weeks over its Aughinish Alumina plant, Europe’s largest refinery of alumina, a feedstock for aluminum production. It continues to export the material to Russia, where it could be used to make aluminum for weapons and military equipment.

Dublin has commissioned an investigation into alumina exports, while also defending an EU decision to leave the plant off Russian sanctions packages, arguing that the facility in southwest Ireland is a key part of EU supply chains.

“(We are) grateful to the government that Ireland is conducting the relevant investigation. We definitely hope for a positive result for us and we really hope we won’t have to wait months for this result,” Zelenskiy told a news conference with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin after the pair had “substantial” discussions on the issue.

“Every tonne of raw material that ends up in Russia is used against us,” he added.

The EU did not include alumina exports to Russia, or name the Irish plant, which is owned by Russia’s Rusal, in its 21st package of sanctions last month.

However the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it may include limits on Irish alumina exports to Russia in future sanctions packages if unanimity can be secured.

Martin, who invited Zelenskiy to Dublin for the start of Ireland’s six-month term in charge of the rotating presidency of the EU, said the investigation was nearing completion and Dublin would discuss it with the European Commission once finalized.

“We do not want to be in a position where material emanating from a plant in Ireland goes to support the Russian war machine,” Martin said.

(By Padraic Halpin, Conor Humphries and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)