Expulsion of Irish diplomats from Moscow 'completely unjustified', says Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaking after Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, addressed a Joint Sitting of both Dail and Seanad Éireann (the Houses of the Oireachtas, Irish Parliament) in the Dáil Chamber of Leinster House, Dublin. Pictured: Maxwells/PA Wire

The expulsion of two Irish diplomats from the embassy in Moscow has been described as “completely unjustified” by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

The Irish ambassador to Russia, Brian McElduff, was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry in Moscow on Thursday afternoon and told two diplomats had been asked to leave.

“It is completely unjustified,” the Taoiseach said in Helsinki on Friday.

“The two people concerned are diplomats, engaged in nothing other than diplomatic activities. We did expel four senior members of the Russian team for behaviour not compatible with diplomatic activities and contrary to diplomatic norms.” 

Last month, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney summoned the Russian ambassador to advise him that four diplomats had been asked to leave because their activities "have not been in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour."

The move to expel Irish staff has been seen as a retaliatory move from the Kremlin, however, the Taoiseach said Ireland will not be dragged into a “tit for tat” situation.

The Taoiseach refused to be drawn on whether Ireland would expel the Russian ambassador but reiterated it would be an EU-wide decision.

Mr Martin said Ireland was not a militarily strong country and that the state’s response has been strongest in humanitarian aid.

“Nothing in Ireland’s position on military neutrality in any way impedes the EU response,” he said.

“We are not a strong military country, so we want to play to our strengths where we can be most effective in terms of our contribution. We will reflect on these issues later. For now, we want to maintain our strong unity of purpose.” 

Speaking after his meeting with Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, Mr Martin said the two discussed the implications for security in the EU arising from the war in Ukraine.

“While Ireland is a militarily neutral country we are not politically or morally neutral in the face of these war crimes and opposition.” 

He said Ireland’s neutrality was not an impediment to the overall response to the war.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the Finnish parliament on Friday.

Ms Marin added there would be discussions in the coming weeks in the Finnish parliament over whether her country would join NATO as well as discussions over whether they would expel their Russian ambassador or other diplomats.

“We want to help in any way we can. We are in this situation with Ukraine and we all have to help Ukraine to win the war. And I think it is not a question of if they win the war, it is when they will win. In our hearts Ukrainians have already won the war,” she said.