Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar voiced criticism on Saturday over the continued supply of weapons by the United States to Israel, urging Washington to cease its arms shipments to Tel Aviv.
Varadkar is scheduled to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Sunday, following a week of engagements that included a prior bilateral meeting between the two leaders, as reported by British PA Media.
During their discussions, Biden expressed agreement with Varadkar’s plea for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
However, addressing reporters in Washington DC, Varadkar highlighted areas of disagreement between the two administrations. He emphasized that he had conveyed to Biden his firm belief that Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza could not be justified as self-defense.
The Irish leader further noted that while the US was actively pursuing efforts toward achieving a ceasefire, Biden had refrained from explicitly calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Varadkar and Biden convened for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, during which they addressed matters pertaining to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, alongside discussing trade relations between Ireland and the United States.