Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the Irish government on Wednesday to expedite an investigation into alumina exports suspected of supplying the Russian military.
He made the plea during a state visit to Dublin.
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The probe follows reports by The Guardian that the Aughinish Alumina refinery in western Ireland operates within an international supply chain linked to the Kremlin.
The facility is owned by Russian aluminum group Rusal.
Irish alumina exports to Russia reached $376 million in 2024, a 50 percent increase since 2022.
The trade is legal but has drawn scrutiny amid the war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy Calls for Swift Action
“We very much hope for a positive result and we do hope that we will not have to wait for it for months,” Zelenskyy said.
He thanked Ireland for the ongoing inquiry but stressed the urgency of halting materials that sustain the invasion.
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“Unfortunately there are companies in Europe that are owned or effectively controlled by Russia and its sanctioned oligarchs.
They keep supplying the aggressor with essential materials even now,” he added.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin confirmed that bilateral talks addressed the refinery directly.
“We do not want to be in a position where material emanating from a plant in Ireland goes to support the Russian war machine,” he said.
Martin noted that local authorities are nearing the completion of the factual investigation. Zelenskyy also used the meeting to advocate for accelerated European Union integration for Ukraine.
Ukraine completed the initial phase of membership talks last month regarding the rule of law and is now pushing to open negotiations on the remaining five policy clusters.
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The visit coincided with the beginning of Ireland's six-month EU presidency.
