Joe Biden commends Irish people for taking in thousands of Ukrainian refugees

President Joe Biden meets virtually Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Washington. Martin tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

US President Joe Biden has commended the Irish people for taking in thousands of Ukrainian refugees, describing it as "amazing".

Speaking via video link to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, whose Oval Office meeting was cancelled after he tested positive for Covid, President Biden described the actions of Russia in Ukraine as "inhumane".

He added: "What Ireland is doing now, what you are doing, taking in Ukrainian refugees, speaks so loudly about your principles. And it's amazing. I want to publicly compliment you for it."

More than 7,000 people who have fled Ukraine have already arrived in Ireland

The President said the virtual meeting came at "a moment when demands on unity in the world are really accelerating".

"We have to be united and we certainly are," he said.

Speaking directly to Mr Martin, the President added: "Yeats had a great line in Easter Sunday 1919, he said: 'All changed, changed utterly, a terrible beauty has been born'.

Speaking via video link to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, President Biden described the actions of Russia in Ukraine as "inhumane". Picture: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

"He was talking about his Ireland and what was going to come. But all has changed. I think that your leadership on the global stage has really been noticeable and impressive," Mr Biden said, singling out Ireland's current membership of the UN Security Council.

President Biden met with Mr Martin "at a distance" for seven-and-a-half minutes at the Ireland Funds on Wednesday night. However, Mr Martin was forced to leave the event early when his PCR test came back as positive.

Reiterating his support of the Good Friday Agreement, President Biden said "too much blood sweat and tears have been shed to get that done. And this is no time to change it".

The Taoiseach, who attended the online meeting from in Blair House where he stayed last night, joked: 

"Last year, we met virtually across the Atlantic. This year we're meeting virtually across the road. So we're getting closer."

However, he said it was "unfortunate" that both men could not meet in person.

He said he shared the President's "horror" in relation "barbaric attack" on Ukraine by Russia.

"I think it's extremely important that we keep this unity of purpose over the coming while and Ireland stands ready to do everything we possibly can on humanitarian front, and in supporting the broadest and widest sanctions possible to keep the pressure on and to get this war ended," Mr Martin said.