Ukraine’s foreign minister has called for the State’s investigation to be conducted “swiftly, independently and transparently” after reports that alumina from the Aughinish Alumina plant in Co Limerick was feeding the Russian military supply chain.
In a statement, Andrii Sybiha said aluminium was a critical component of Russian missiles and drones used against Ukraine. He welcomed the investigation, adding: “Ukraine will continue working with Ireland, EU institutions, and international partners to strengthen sanctions pressure on Moscow and close gaps that enable Russia’s defence industry to operate.
The European Commission’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will discuss the issue when she meets Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Tuesday.
Kallas, a commission vice-president and Europe’s high representative for foreign affairs, will be in Dublin for talks in advance of Ireland’s upcoming European Union presidency, which begins next month.
The Department of Enterprise is investigating potential links between the facility and the manufacture of Russian arms used in its war against Ukraine.
In March, an Irish Times investigation, carried out in co-operation with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, found that Aughinish’s Co Limerick plant was shipping vast amounts of alumina to smelters in Russia, where it is used to make aluminium, which is then sold to a trading company, ASK, that supplies dozens of Russian arms manufacturers.
The issue of Aughinish Alumina was raised by a reporter at a European Commission press briefing on Monday.
A commission spokeswoman said Kallas would be meeting the Taoiseach and “several topics will be discussed including the EU support of Ukraine, also pressure on Russia and also this specific topic will be addressed as a matter of concern”.