LAST UPDATE | 7 hrs ago

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR Zelenskyy said he welcomed Ireland’s investigation into the exports of Russian-owned Auginish Alumina plant in Co Limerick, but he hopes a finding will soon be brought forward.

Speaking at a press conference at Dublin Castle, Zelesnkyy said he and Taoiseach Micheál Martin discussed the matter in a bilateral meeting today.

The company has come under international scrutiny for its Russian links. Its exports are currently being examined to see if they are linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Aughinish Alumina in Foynes is owned by Rusal which is in turn owned by Putin ally Oleg Deripaska – it has been claimed that the Irish product has been used to manufacture arms used in Ukraine by the Russian military. 

“We are really interested in the results of this investigation,” the Ukrainian leader told Irish media, adding that Ukraine hopes for a “positive result”.

It is Europe’s largest refinery and employs approximately 500 people directly with about 1,000 other related jobs.

Behind closed doors the government has been slow to make a move on the company citing the lack of EU sanctions and the danger to the local economy. 

Earlier this afternoon, he hit out at Russian-owned companies with links to Russia’s war effort that are operating without sanctions in Europe.

In a speech at Dublin Castle, Zelenskyy took aim at companies in EU countries “whose only purpose is to work for Russia”.

“I urge you to continue support through new European Union sanctions, and they are needed against Russia’s shadow fleet and against many of Putin still relies on to keep this war going,” Zelenskyy said.

“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.”

Last month, junior minister Seán Canney said the government would support EU sanctions on the plant if the ongoing investigation confirms the claims the company’s exports are feeding into the Russian war effort.