Ukraine presses Ireland and EU to halt Aughinish alumina trade with Russia

Ukraine is pressing Ireland and the European Union to stop trade with Russia, even when the move causes economic pain for individual member states. At meetings in Dublin this week, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Vsevolod Chentsov singled out exports from the Russian-owned Aughinish Alumina plant in County Limerick.

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It is a matter of principle. It is a moral issue and member states have had enough time to adjust to the situation.

“It is a matter of principle. It is a moral issue and member states have had enough time to adjust to the situation,” Chentsov told The Irish Times. He said Ukraine had called since the start of Russia’s invasion for aluminium to fall under sanctions and for countries to stop buying from and selling to Russia.

Chentsov said Kyiv had supplied the Irish Government with information about alumina from the plant allegedly entering the Russian military supply chain. “We provided all necessary information,” he said, adding that the Irish Government and European Commission had been considering the issue. “We think it is time to fix the issue in principle and that there is a European ban on trade with Russia when we are talking about this commodity.”

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We provided all necessary information.

Aughinish Alumina and its Russian owner, Rusal, deny that the plant’s exports are used to produce aluminium that ends up in Russian weapons. An Irish Government investigation found insufficient evidence to reach a definitive conclusion. The plant has nonetheless faced intense scrutiny since an Irish Times investigation published last March reported links to a supply chain serving Russia’s military industry.

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We think it is time to fix the issue in principle and that there is a European ban on trade with Russia when we are talking about this commodity.

Some EU member states are expected to argue for sanctions preventing Irish alumina exports to Russia. Talks on the next package of EU sanctions are due to begin shortly, with the European Commission aiming to implement the measures before winter. Chentsov also said Ukraine wanted the remaining EU accession negotiating clusters formally opened, along with more financial and military support. He asked member states to consider bringing forward part of the 2027 Ukraine support loan budget to close a growing funding gap.

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We have an instrument called Ukraine support loan, which is working. We are asking member states to consider the possibility of front-loading the 2027 part of this budget to this year to close the gap and to look for new sources of financing Ukraine.