'We will keep an open mind' - Coveney won't rule out further expulsion of Russian officials

The Foreign Affairs Minister has said the government would keep further expulsions of Russian officials from Ireland under consideration.

But Minister Simon Coveney said that keeping diplomatic efforts open was “important”.

It comes a week after four senior Russian officials were asked to leave Ireland because their activities had not been “in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour”, according to the Irish government.

The decision came following security advice received last Monday. 

The Russian ambassador was summoned to a meeting at the department of foreign affairs last week and the four officials were given days to leave.

Minister Coveney said the government would keep an “open mind” and would keep further expulsions under consideration.

He added: “I have made it clear that I think it makes sense to have diplomatic channels open and to have a Russian embassy here despite the fact that I understand fully that Irish people are incredibly angry with what is happening at the moment and they rightly point the finger at Russia in terms of being the cause of all of this. 

“But even when a war is taking place and you have a fundamental difference of opinion, keeping diplomatic efforts open, in terms of finding a basis for peace is important.

“It is also important in terms of being able to protect and represent Irish people who live in Russia, who live in Ukraine, who live in Belarus in terms of the future.

“We will keep an open mind and will keep further expulsions under consideration.

“We made a decision to ask four senior members of the Russian embassy to leave Ireland, we may go beyond that but I am not in a position to announce anything further on that today.”

Speaking in Dublin yesterday (Tuesday April 6), Mr Coveney also said that he feared that more evidence of Russian atrocities in Ukraine would emerge. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is to make an historic address to the Dáil today (Wednesday April 6). 

Mr Coveney said he expected Mr Zelensky to “emphasise the brutality” of what had been witnessed in some of the parts of Ukraine that were occupied by Russian forces, including Bucha.

“Certainly, my conversation with the Ukrainian foreign minister earlier this week was a very sobering and difficult conversation,” Mr Coveney added.

“He was very graphic and detailed and very emotional in terms of what has happened to his people, in terms of murder, rape and brutality and torture of civilians in Bucha.

“Of course, the big fear is that we are going to see more scenes like that in towns which Russian troops have been driven out of.

“I think that is part of the reason why the commission has brought forward a very strong package of sanctions. I think we will hear tomorrow the need for stronger deterrents, accountability also.”