The Taoiseach in Washington: We need the friendship of the US

The Taoiseach in Washington British politicians often talk warmly about the “special relationship” that the United Kingdom enjoys with the United States. It is used to describe the diplomatic, political, cultural, economic, military, and historic ties to the US. We also enjoy something of a special relationship with the US, based mostly on friendship, family, and cultural ties. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is in Washington this week to take advantage of that on Ireland’s behalf and it is important, given the chaos of Brexit, that we now renew and strengthen our friendship with the US, while remaining a steadfast member of the European Union.

In global terms, we may not be powerful, but we are influential and there is no reason why, in a post-Brexit world, we cannot take over the role of Washington’s leading EU interlocutor, at a time of transatlantic tensions over US trade and foreign policy. Daniel Mulhall, Ireland’s ambassador to the US, believes we can do just that.