Leo Varadkar will thank Joe Biden for his support on Brexit at the White House

Leo Varadkar is expected to thank Joe Biden for his administration’s support for Brexit during a meeting with the US President on St Patrick’s Day.

He said he would also discuss Biden’s trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Deal, which Varadkar said “we’re all really looking forward to.”

The Irish Prime Minister is in Washington DC for a series of engagements as part of a long tradition to boost international relations and promote Ireland abroad to coincide with March 17.

She spoke before the US Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday before speaking at the Irish Funds gala dinner, while on Thursday she gave an event at Georgetown University reflecting on the role of women in the Good Friday Agreement.

She also spoke about the Irish-African-American diaspora connection at Howard University, which she called “a strong one and one that a lot of people don’t know about, but I think it needs to be explored in the future.”

The Taoiseach’s visit will culminate in a high-profile ceremony to present a crystal bowl of shamrocks to the US President at the White House, after having breakfast with US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Irish pop star Niall Horan, who rose to fame as part of the band One Direction, is also expected to appear at the White House as part of the celebrations.

This will be Biden’s first shamrock bowl delivery, after last year’s ceremony was canceled after then-taoiseach Micheal Martin tested positive for covid-19.

Asked what he would discuss with the US president, Varadkar said he would thank the US for its interest in Ireland and the administration’s support during Brexit.

“People all over the world listen to what the White House is saying, and President Biden has said all the right things from our point of view in the last two years,” he said.

“I am also willing to thank you for the United States’ support for Ukraine: American leadership at this time is crucial.

“America is not perfect. Many times they make very big mistakes in foreign policy, but generally speaking, it has been a force for good in the last few centuries, it was opposed to fascism, it was opposed to Nazism, it was opposed to communism and now it is opposed to what Russia is doing in Ukraine. So I really want to thank him for that and ask American to stay the course in that regard.”

He said it would also raise concerns about the United States and Europe working together and avoiding a “subsidy race.”

He added: “If we both end up subsidizing our companies, we just cancel each other out, and we cancel each other out at the expense of each other’s taxpayers.”

Varadkar also praised the US Senate leader’s speech at a gala dinner on Wednesday night.

Chuck Schumer told the Ireland Fund meeting, which was attended by DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly, that he hoped the Stormont institutions would be restored.

The US Senate Majority Leader also said he hoped the Windsor Framework would “clear the way for the DUP to join Sinn Fein in a power-sharing deal decided by the people of Northern Ireland at the last election, amazing election.

“I tell all parties in the north, but especially the DUP, let’s go to the people’s business.”

Speaking to reporters in Washington DC on Thursday, Varadkar said: “It was a great speech. I have known Chuck Schumer for years and am a huge fan of his.

“It wouldn’t have been the speech I would have made to say it that way, but I have a different role to play in politics, but it was a very, very interesting speech.”

In a colorful speech at the gala dinner, Mr Schumer referenced the campaign by a group of Irish fishermen to drive a Russian naval ship off the coast of Co Cork in 2022, quoted novelist James Joyce and said that May he would win the All-Ireland football championship. .

He also praised the Irish rugby team, telling the congregation that if they had been sent to the Ukraine, the war would have been over in a week.

During his speech, Mr. Varadkar thanked the US for its response to the invasion of Ukraine, paid tribute to the late Congressman Brian Donnelly, and reflected on the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

He told guests: “This remarkable achievement required true political leadership, and a vision that was unafraid of compromise, and enabled us to break the cycle of violence that had plagued the island of Ireland for 30 years.

“A new generation of young people were given the freedom to dream big dreams for the first time.

“It would never have been possible without the support of our friends here in the United States, including some of the people in this room.

“In many ways, the United States is the third co-guarantor of the Agreement.”

The Taoiseach added: “This St. Patrick’s week, let us remember that peace in Northern Ireland is one of the greatest and most significant success stories in American foreign policy.”

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