Why Ireland is under fire over its alumina exports to Russia

[00:00:03]Ireland is under fire of its continued sales of alumina to Russia raising concerns that the country might be indirectly helping Moscow fuel its war machine against Ukraine. Sold as white powder, alumina is the raw material used to produce aluminum, a metal found in weapons and ammunition.

[00:00:22]High Representative Kyriakides said she intended to raise the matter when she meets with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin on Tuesday.

[00:00:30]>> We should also be more creative in finding ways how we can actually stop this war because if there is a thought that we still, you know, some of us still benefit from trading with Russia at the same time when it is actually making it easier for them to fund this war, then this war will never stop.

[00:00:51]>> The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project published an investigation in March about the business ties between Aughinish Alumina, Europe's largest alumina refinery, and the Russian economy. Aughinish insists its activities are entirely legal because alumina has been spared from restrictions under EU sanctions. The company says alumina exports to Russia represented about 45% of all sales in 2025 and expects the share to be similar at the end of 2026. The Irish government has launched an investigation into the allegations.