Ireland will raise both Ukraine and Gaza with Donald Trump during White House meeting, Taoiseach tells Dáil

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he will raise Ukraine and Gaza at his meeting with President Donald Trump next week in Washington.

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Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he will raise Ukraine and Gaza at his meeting with President Donald Trump next week in WashingtonSinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald – who has decided not to travel to Washington this year – says peace cannot be achieved ‘by investing in war’

Mr Martin, making his last appearance in the Dáil before his encounter in the Oval Office, said: "We want a peace settlement that is lasting and durable in Ukraine. President Trump wants a peace settlement.

"There are different perspectives on that," Mr Martin said, his comments obliquely suggesting that the US president may not be invested in a settlement that lasts beyond his term of office.

"In terms of the United States relationship with Ireland, that is older than the State itself, and it's an extremely important one," Mr Martin said.

"We're going, fundamentally, to celebrate the historic links, between Ireland and the US. St Patrick's Day has always been the traditional time to do that.

"We will be there for our diaspora, with 30 million Americans claiming Irish descent," the Taoiseach added.

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"In terms of the core issues, the economic relationship is very important. We're an open small economy, pro-free trade, and I will be articulate from that perspective.

"We will also articulate our views in relation to Ukraine, and in relation to the Middle East also."

The Taoiseach was told by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald – who has decided not to travel to Washington this year – that peace cannot be achieved "by investing in war".

She raised the decision of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to seek another €800 billion spending on defence, setting aside some fiscal rules to do so. And she saw it as linked to the Cabinet decision to ditch the Triple Lock on members of the Irish Defence Forces serving in numbers overseas.

"The US is categorically wrong on Gaza," Ms McDonald said, urging the Taoiseach to protest against the proposed relocation of its population, or large sections thereof, during reconstruction – an idea proposed by the White House.

She said Ireland should speak up for unaligned small countries, prompting Mr Martin to say that many EU countries were "fearful of the threat that Russia poses to their existence”.

He replied; “No-one wants war, but Europe is exposed right now, the Baltics, in particular, Poland, and many others.

"We shouldn't forget that in this part of the world, or to undermine or seek to dismiss very legitimate fears that these countries have about their very survival.

"And it is real, and Europe has to be self-reliant in order to ensure peace and prosperity. President von der Leyen made clear in her opening remarks that Europe is about peace. It's about prosperity. It's about quantity of life for its citizens."

Europe needs to enhance member states' military capability and security capability across a lot of domains, Mr Martin said. These include cyber security, maritime security, and energy security.

Ms McDonald said Mr Martin was meeting the President in the White House as a time "when an outrageous threat of mass expulsion from Gaza hangs over 2 million Palestinians."

This year's St Patrick's Day meeting comes at a time of conflict, challenge and deep uncertainty in the world, she noted.

"It also comes at a time of deep public concern regarding your moves to dismantle the triple lock and to undermine Ireland's neutrality,” she added.

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