Councillors across Kildare call for Russian Ambassador to be expelled over conflict in Ukraine

Kildare County Councillors have called on An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Foregin Affairs, Simon Coveney to expel the Russian Ambassador to Ireland.

The letter was issued by Mayor of Kildare, Cllr Naoise Ó Cearúil on behalf of Kildare County Council and received unanimous support from the forty Kildare councillors.

The letter states:
In response to the unlawful invasion of Ukraine by President Putin and to show Ireland’s support for Ukraine’s government and people, the members of Kildare County Council, representing the people of Kildare, call upon the Irish Government to expel the Russian Ambassador to Ireland, Yury Anatoliyevich Filatov.

Mayor Ó Cearúil stated, "Many people will be watching the horror and tragedy unfolding in Ukraine and will feel a sense of helplessness. Collectively we must all look to what little thing we can do to support our European neighbours in Ukraine, boost their morale and offer them whatever little hope or assistance we can. This is a small symbol to the Ukrainian people in Ireland and particularly here in Kildare that says "we're with you".

At the request of Mayor Ó Cearúil Kildare County Council will also be flying the Ukrainian flag at Aras Chill Dara.

Ireland may expel some Russian diplomats in the coming days, but will likely stop short of ejecting the ambassador, the Foreign Affairs Minister has said.

Simon Coveney, speaking amid growing calls for the Russian ambassador to be expelled, said that he understood public and political anger directed at Russia and Yury Filatov as the country’s representative in Ireland.

He indicated that Ireland might move to expel some Russian diplomats, but ruled out expelling the ambassador.

“I can totally understand the anger and the sentiment behind that.

“My job as a foreign minister is to try to think ahead here. We are going to have Irish citizens, hundreds of them, living and working in Russia. We do have today.

“We have many Irish citizens still in Ukraine too. 

“I need to make sure that we have lines of communication open so that I can help those people and do my job. And even if you fundamentally disagree with somebody, as we do with Russia right now, and you’re trying to hold them to account, as we are trying at the moment, you still have to keep lines of communication open, in my view.

“Does that mean that we won’t be expelling some Russian diplomats or some operatives that are in Ireland who may not be diplomats in the next few days? No, it doesn’t. We may well do that.

“But I don’t think it’s wise for us to expel the Russian ambassador and have no Russian presence in Ireland to allow us to have a direct line of communication with Moscow for humanitarian reasons primarily, but also to ensure that we can let them know what the Irish view is very directly in terms of Russian actions.”

Mr Coveney said that no country in the EU has so far moved to expel their Russian ambassador.

“The expulsion of diplomats or Russian staff in embassies is quite a significant thing to do. It sends a very strong signal and Russia will respond in kind.

“I think it’s likely that something will happen in that space, but we do need to be targeted. We need to bear in mind the interests of Irish citizens, both in Russia and across Ukraine.”