The Russian Ambassador's praise of a letter by Sabina Higgins has been described as embarrassing.
The letter, published by The Irish Times last week, called for a negotiated peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.
The Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yuriy Filatov, welcomed Sabina Higgins' comments, which called for both Russia and Ukraine to engage in talks.
The letter to the editor has been widely criticised for appearing to hold Ukraine to equal account for Russia's invasion.
Journalist and Broadcaster Michael O'Regan says President Higgins should fully clarify the situation to protect Ireland's reputation internationally:
"No doubt that she meant well, I've no doubt about that and she certainly wasn't seeking the imprimatur of the Russian ambassador, but that is what happened. It's embarrassing for the government and it's not acceptable for the President to remain quiet. This is a man who's always core to the media, and he is very popular with journalists over many decades. He's a very experienced politician. He was a senator, a TD and a government minister, so he knows the remit of the presidency."
