A published letter written by Irish First Lady Sabina Higgins that came under criticism appears to have been removed from the website of the President of Ireland.
In the letter, the First Lady warned that the war in Ukraine will continue unless both countries agree a ceasefire and begin negotiations.
The letter has since made international headlines as Ms Higgins is accused of pro-Kremlin bias.
The letter originally appeared in The Irish Times and was subsequently published on the diary section of the President of Ireland’s website under the headline ‘War in Ukraine: A Moment of Moral Choice – Letter to the Irish Times’. However, now it seems to have been removed.
In the letter, Ms Higgins wrote that she was “disappointed and appalled” that an editorial in the newspaper “did not encourage ceasefire negotiations that could lead to a peace settlement between the Russians, the Ukrainian armed forces and the separatists.”
She added that until President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky agree to a ceasefire and negotiations, “the long run of a terrible war will continue.”
Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yuriy Filatov has said Ms Higgins’ letter “makes sense” and is in line with Russia’s objectives.
He told The Irish Times: “I wouldn’t want to get involved in internal affairs, but the position makes sense. She is against war. We are all against war.”
Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik has criticized Ms Higgins’ comments in the letter, saying it is easy for her to comment on the war if it is not her country that is under attack.
Speaking to Newstalk, she said: “As a country that has been at war with Russia for the past eight years, we are sure that it is not enough that one side wants peace – it has to be mutual.
“I wouldn’t call it naive, I would call it underinformed, because if you look at the way Russia has behaved over the past eight years – if you look at the last five and a half months – you would understand that there are no way of peaceful negotiations.”
Ms Rudik said positions such as this letter are “extremely dangerous”, adding “because in fact what it says in the letter is “let’s make peace” – so we will allow [the] bully, let aggressive country get away with what they have done.”
Independent.ie has contacted Áras an Uachtaráin for comment.