Sanctions against Russian war machine

Today in Strasbourg, I voted for increased and expanded sanctions against the Russian military machine and voted to urge the European Commission and EU Member States to work in a coordinated way towards a full ban on trade with Russia.

Many EU countries, including Ireland, unfortunately still trade with Putin’s regime.

Specific but non-binding amendments to ban alumina exports to Russia were tabled. While I agree that we need to end trade of alumina with Russia, unfortunately, the blunt wording of these amendments did not consider the risks to the European supply chain of this critical resource, or to the risks to the downstream supply of aluminium to Europe.

The amendments also did not recognise that the Irish government now sees the need for action and is currently investigating Aughinish Alumina.

Therefore, in consultation with my FF colleagues, I abstained on these badly worded amendments.

As someone fully supportive of Ukraine, I find it very frustrating that the Irish Department of Enterprise investigative report is still not published. It has been 15 weeks since the Irish Times revelations on Aughinish Alumina.

Having seen the devastating effect of Russian bombing myself in Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ireland must not, in any way, be part of supporting Russian military.

In my view, it is highly likely alumina exported from Ireland is being used in Russian military and that these exports have increased since 2022. It is also now clearer that the beneficial owner of the company is a pro-Putin oligarch.

If so, the Irish government must urgently work with our EU partners to close off these exports, stop supplying the Russian war machine and divert the company’s supply chains.

Nationalisation of the Russian-owned company must be an option, and if needed, the EU must assist in working with international partners in securing the supply of raw material to Aughinish Alumina.

Whether it is fertilizers, LNG, shipping, uranium or alumina, all EU countries must work together to end trade with Putin’s criminal regime as soon as possible.