US President Joe Biden has paid tribute to Ireland's role in welcoming Ukrainians fleeing war and hailed 'stronger relations between the US and Ireland'.
Speaking in Farmleigh House, where he was welcomed by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, President Biden said he thinks there is a real opportunity to make serious progress in terms of leading Ireland and moving it in a way of taking its place in the world.
"The way you welcome the - I know it's not easy - welcome Ukrainians here and the leadership you show, and I just think that it feels so good to be able to have this emerging and stronger and stronger relations between the United States and Ireland," President Biden said.
"I think our values are the same and I think our concerns are the same."
Mr Biden paid tribute to Mr Varadkar's leadership, while the Taoiseach said he looked forward to hearing about the US President's trip to Belfast and his meeting with party leaders there.
Mr Varadkar said the Government here was very keen in getting the Good Friday Agreement institutions functioning again.
The Taoiseach also thanked the president for his country's leadership in Ukraine, saying he never thought he would see a war in Europe in his lifetime.
He said democracy was in retreat in large parts of the world and said if it was not for the US and Europe working together, he said he did not know what kind of world we would be living in.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "I really want to thank you and your administration and your country's leadership when it comes to Ukraine, because I never thought in my lifetime that we'd see a war of this nature happen in Europe again.
"And democracy and liberty and the things that we believe in are in retreat in large parts of the world, and if it wasn't for American leadership - and if it wasn't for America and Europe working together - I don't know what kind of world we would live in.
"So we we really do appreciate your leadership, and your personal leadership, both in terms of securing peace in Ireland but also in trying to protect democracy and liberty here in Europe."
Mr Biden, who met with the Taoiseach in Washington on St Patrick's Day, told Mr Varadkar it had been great to see him last month, and said: "I think there really is an opportunity to make serious progress, not just because of the accord that was signed 25 years ago, but in terms of the way Ireland is moving, the way it is taking its place in the world, working on helping countries around the world that are dealing with starvation, the way you've - I know it's not easy - welcomed Ukrainians here and the leadership you've shown."
The two leaders then met in private ahead of President Biden setting off for Leinster House where he is due to address a joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad.
Northern Ireland, US-Irish ties, Ukraine and climate action were among the topics discussed by the Taoiseach and US President during their bilateral meeting at Farmleigh House.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Varadkar said relations between the US and Ireland have never been stronger and that Ireland is fortunate to be so high on the agenda of the US administration.
Northern Ireland
The Taoiseach said the current impasse in Northern Ireland was also discussed in their meeting and said the US President said he was keen to be supportive in any way he can but said he did not want to be overbearing.
He also rejected a claim by some DUP figures that Mr Biden is anti-British.
"I don't agree with that assessment, that's certainly not my experience of President Biden or his administration," he said.
"They're very keen to have a strong and special relationship with the United Kingdom and that, of course, goes back to their own history, and also the fact that they fought two world wars, side by side.
"We should never underestimate the strength of the UK/American relationship, and I know that President Biden and his administration are committed to that special relationship, but he is somebody who identifies as Irish-American, who is proudly Irish, and takes an interest in Irish affairs, and his only interest really is to see, not just peace sustained in Northern Ireland, but also, as he said, the institutions up and running, because people and politicians come and go, it's institutions that underline and make sure that democracy and freedom and prosperity last for generations.
"I don't feel he is pushing any particular agenda other than what he thinks is best for the people of Northern Ireland and the people of Ireland as a whole."
Mr Varadkar said it is possible to get the DUP on board with forming a government in Northern Ireland.
The Taoiseach was asked what role the Irish Government could play if power-sharing institutions were not functional for a long period.
"Definitely something that I need to speak to the Prime Minister about before before speaking in public, but Plan A is the only plan we have at the moment, and that is to get the Good Friday Agreement working as envisaged, have the five parties form an executive - four of them want to, one doesn't," he said.
"I think it is possible to get the DUP on board and then, not only crucially have the power-sharing institutions up and running in Northern Ireland, but also the North-South bodies which are very important too.
"And certainly the problems that people are facing in Northern Ireland - whether it's the budget deficit, whether it's problems in the health service, whether it's a housing crisis - they can only be solved by having the parties in Northern Ireland working together, and the governments need to come together, help make that happen."
Speaking to Mr Varadkar, the US President appeared to reference the progress made in securing the Windsor Framework - the deal between the EU and UK to amend the Northern Ireland Protocol - as he spoke of co-operation between the Taoiseach and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as "very valuable as well".
With additional reporting by Paul Cunningham
