The Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov will not attend the joint Oireachtas sitting on Wednesday morning, which will be addressed by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl had invited all of the diplomatic representations based in Ireland to the event.
45 indicated that a representative would attend by today's 'close of business' deadline. However, RTÉ News has learned tonight that the Embassy of the Russian Federation was not one of them.
Last week, Ireland expelled four Russian diplomats from the country.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, summoned Ambassador Filatov to advise him that the diplomats had to leave because their activities had "not been in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour".
The Russian Embassy rejected the basis under which the expulsions were taking place, saying: "This is an arbitrary, groundless decision, which can only deteriorate further Russian-Irish relations, already damaged by the Irish participation in illegitimate EU sanctions against Russia."
Earlier today, three Independent Senators, Michael McDowell, Victor Boyhan and David Norris, issued a joint statement saying Mr Filatov should not have been invited to the Oireachtas for the address.
Senator Michael McDowell said: "Due to Russia's illegal invasion and the human rights abuses committed by the Russian Armed Forces in Mariupol, the Russian Ambassador should not have been invited to this event in the Oireachtas."
Senator Victor Boyhan added: "As elected politicians, we need to represent the views of the Irish people who have expressed solidarity with Ukraine and think about what message this sends out."
Senator McDowell added: "This is a very ill-thought-out political decision... Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war will be in the distinguished visitors' gallery. What does it say about us as a nation if we're organising an event where they must encounter civilly the Russian Ambassador either at the main event or in the environs of Leinster House?"
