The Sunday Independent’s view: Micheál Martin’s visit to the White House just got a lot trickier
Hope and history were replaced instead by an ugly display of hate and hysteria, with no rhyme or reason, except as a display of brute power. This, however, has been said many times since that shameful press briefing sank into rancour.
It is still worth saying again, if only to underline the dismay with which the Ukrainian leader’s treatment was greeted by his nation’s allies; but words are not enough. European leaders may be tweeting solidarity with Kyiv, but tweets will not change the course of this cruellest of wars. Right now, the future looks bleak for Ukraine.
So how should the Taoiseach play the room when he meets President Trump in 10 days’ time in that same office? No Irish leader has ever gone to Washington for St Patrick’s Day under such challenging circumstances.
Today’s Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll shows a large majority of us (71pc) support Micheál Martin’s attendance anyway, however unpredictable. That is the pragmatic course of action. A small nation does not lightly turn down an invitation to the White House, whoever is in the Oval Office.
When it comes to the question of whether the Taoiseach should criticise President Trump face to face during his visit, opinion is more divided. Half the respondents in the poll do not think he should; 43pc would like him to do so. What is more telling is that, when asked which out of a range of issues the Taoiseach should prioritise when he meets Trump, only 16pc of us believe he should put Ukraine first.
Fortunately, the Fianna Fáil leader is neither psychologically nor politically minded to look for trouble unnecessarily
That is wise too. Were he to publicly berate the president for his heartless attitude to Ukraine’s plight, he would return home a conquering hero; but any satisfaction would be short-lived. It would, for one thing, invite the obvious riposte — namely, how many divisions or billions of euro is Ireland offering to send to the front line?
Fortunately, the Fianna Fáil leader is neither psychologically nor politically minded to look for trouble unnecessarily. If anyone can find a way to stand by Ukraine without antagonising his host, it is this Taoiseach. Successful visits last week by France’s president Macron and UK prime minister Starmer showed it can be done. The Irish Government will have watched and learned.
The issue that more than half of us do think the Taoiseach should raise with Trump is the tariffs he has threatened to impose on the EU. In truth, he is unlikely to get much comfort on economic issues either; and even if he were given some assurances, there is no guarantee that they would last until the Taoiseach’s flight touched down again in Dublin.
This new unpredictability may help explain why 66pc of people in our poll are now in favour of large increases in defence spending to meet the tests ahead. Support for neutrality remains high, but there is an understanding that the world is now much more dangerous.
It got more perilous again on Friday. With the US no longer a reliable ally, Europe must urgently come together to provide the direction needed.
