Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, one of nine Irish politicians in the US for St. Patrick's Day, will meet with US President Joe Biden on Friday, March 17 in Washington, DC.
“On March 17, President Joe Biden will host Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland, for a bilateral meeting and St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at the White House, continuing a longstanding St. Patrick’s Day tradition," the White House said on Tuesday, March 14.
“The leaders will reaffirm the close and historic partnership between the United States and Ireland and the extraordinary bonds between our people.
“They will discuss their countries’ shared commitment to continue supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal aggression, as well as their cooperation on a range of other global issues.
“They will reaffirm their steadfast support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement as we approach its 25th anniversary and welcome the recent agreement between the UK and EU on the Windsor Framework as an important step in preserving the Agreement’s peace dividend.
“Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will host the Taoiseach and Mr. Matthew Barrett for a breakfast at the Naval Observatory on March 17.”
The White House's details about this week's events comes the day after Biden said it is his "intention to go to Northern Ireland and the Republic" to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement next month.
This year is set to be the first 'normal' bilateral meeting between the President and the Taoiseach since 2019.
Last year, then-Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with Biden virtually after testing positive for Covid in Washington, DC the night before St. Patrick's Day.
Martin also met with Biden virtually the year prior; he didn't travel to the US amid public health concerns due to the pandemic.
In March 2020, Varadkar was in the US for the annual St. Patrick's Day bilateral meeting with then-President Donald Trump when the coronavirus emergency began. On March 12 that year, Varadkar delivered an address from Washington, DC announcing Ireland's first wave of coronavirus shutdowns.
Varadkar is due to arrive again in the US this evening, March 14. In addition to meeting with the President and Vice President, he will be speaking at an event in Washington, DC hosted by IrishCentral and the AOH on Thursday, March 16.
Varadkar is one of nine Irish politicians who will be in the US week as part of the Irish government's 2023 St. Patrick's Day programme. In all, 36 representatives of the Irish State will bring Ireland’s message to 74 cities in 44 countries.
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