Ukrainian ambassador calls on Ireland to close ports to Russian vessels

The Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Gerasko Larysa has called on the Government to close the State’s ports to Russian shipping.

A cargo vessel, the Pola Varvara, sailing under the Russian flag arrived in Dublin Port on Tuesday morning. It is registered to the Russian government-owned State Transport Leasing Company.

On Wednesday, when Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due to address the Dáil, the Pola Feodosia is expected into Foynes, Co Limerick. It is also owned by the Russian State Transport Leasing Company and left Kaliningrad in Russia on March 26th.

The vessel made a previous attempt on March 2nd to berth at Foynes to take on board a shipment from the Russian-owned Aughinish Alumina plant. Oleg Deripaska, a shareholder in Aughinish, has been sanctioned by the UK government as a result of the war in Ukraine.

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Ms Larysa has pointed to recent comments made by Mr Zelenskiy, who said European Union states must do more to stop a Russian government “that tortures and kills innocent children and civilians what the world has recently witnessed in the town of Bucha”.

“Jointly we must protect the lives and freedom of Ukraine and Ukrainians, as well as guarantee the security of Europe,” she said.

She urged the EU to go further and impose sanctions on Russia which include the closure of all member states ports to Russian shipping.

She said: “Thus, Russia must be deprived of all resources. First of all, financial and economic ones. The European Union must finally adopt a principled decision and close ports to Russian ships, to stop the transit of goods and any economic activity with Russia.”

The ambassador said the EU sanctions placed on Russia to date “are not enough”.

A ban on Russian vessels docking at ports is under consideration by EU member states as part of further sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

In a speech to the Norwegian parliament last week Mr Zelenskiy said: “As long as Russia blocks our ports, it has no right to use all the ports of the free world.”