End alumina exports to Russia - Belarus opposition leader

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled leader of Belarus's opposition, has called on the European Union to halt alumina exports to Russia from Ireland. She expressed gratitude to investigative media for uncovering allegations that alumina from the Aughinish refinery in County Limerick was being used in Russian weapons.

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The European Union wants to close all loopholes, and they want to [deprive] this regime of possible resources.

"Any raw materials that help Russia to attack Ukraine, to build new weapons, of course, they have to be stopped," Tsikhanouskaya told RTÉ News. She emphasized that prioritizing values and countering dictatorship should take precedence over business interests during the ongoing war. "Now is not time to think about business interests when the war is already at the doors of Europe, but to think about values, to think about how to counter dictatorship and the aggressive policies towards, not only Ukraine, but towards all of the democratic world."

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That's why any raw materials that help Russia to attack Ukraine, to build new weapons, of course, they have to be stopped.

Tsikhanouskaya, who was sentenced in absentia to 15 years by the Belarusian regime, spoke ahead of a European Economic and Social Committee debate. She has led the opposition from exile in Lithuania since 2020, following disputed presidential elections. She also noted that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is fearful of a Ukrainian outcome that would be a setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Now is not time to think about business interests when the war is already at the doors of Europe, but to think about values, to think about how to counter dictatorship and the aggressive policies towards, not only Ukraine, but towards all of the democratic world.

"Lukashenko is already part of this war," she stated. "He is a war criminal, he provided [Russia with] our territory in the first days of the war, and he has to face the full accountability for the war crimes." She accused the regime of building infrastructure that could enable greater Belarusian involvement in Russia's invasion, though she doubted the Belarusian people would join the war due to widespread anti-war sentiment.

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Lukashenko is already part of this war. He is a war criminal, he provided [Russia with] our territory in the first days of the war, and he has to face the full accountability for the war crimes.