Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris have welcomed the decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw tariff threats aimed at European countries, which had been linked to his ambition to acquire Greenland from Denmark.
Mr Trump said a “framework for a deal” had been agreed after talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, reports RTE.
While Mr Trump did not outline the details of the framework, he said the proposed tariffs on European countries that had opposed his efforts to acquire Greenland were no longer being pursued.
Mr Martin told RTÉ News in Davos: “I warmly welcome the statement, reports RTE.
“And I think it reflects what I’ve been consistently saying, that the only way to resolve issues of this kind is through dialogue, through discussion and through engagement. That is the key, reports RTE.
“It’s particularly welcome that a framework has been developed that will facilitate discussions between all involved, reports RTE.
“Collectively, we need to de-escalate this situation. We need to dial down and engage in those areas that matter: economy, society.”, reports RTE.
The Taoiseach said he had been told by business leaders that political stability was essential to support economic growth.
He said: “We’re all here [in Davos] to represent our people, reports RTE.
“I’m taking the opportunity to meet with many companies who are located in Ireland, who have significant investments in Ireland, and obviously they want stability, reports RTE.
“They want certainty in world politics to facilitate economic development and so do we in Ireland, reports RTE.
“So this is welcome and I pay tribute to all those involved in the discussions that led to this.”, reports RTE.
Mr Harris said the removal of the threatened tariffs was a positive step but cautioned that significant uncertainty remained around any potential agreement and warned of ongoing volatility, given Mr Trump’s repeated statements about acquiring Greenland from Denmark, a fellow NATO member.
Mr Harris said the move added “credence and credibility” to the EU’s approach and stressed the importance of continued unity among member states, reports RTE.
He said: “The withdrawal of the threat of additional tariffs on European countries by president Trump is of course a welcome development and it does indeed give credence and credibility to the strategy we’ve all deployed at a European level, maintaining cool heads,” he said, speaking outside of Government Buildings, reports RTE.
“Not responding to every bit of political noise or every Truth Social post, but engaging in a calm, constructive and collected way at a European level, reports RTE.
“It is important that we continue to work collectively, as a European Union, to stand up for the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland. Greenland being a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, reports RTE.
“And also collectively work to seek the full implementation of the trade agreement that we already agreed with the US administration, reports RTE.
“An agreement that is key to protecting economic activity on both sides of the Atlantic, reports RTE.
“They want certainty in world politics to facilitate economic development and so do we in Ireland.”, reports RTE.
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