Co-operation with Trump key to avoid economic challenges – Donohoe

Negotiation and co-operation with US President Donald Trump will be key to avoiding “huge challenges” to the global economy, Ireland’s finance minister said.

Paschal Donohoe said he “profoundly disagrees” with Mr Trump’s comments about the war in Ukraine, and his attack on President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Speaking in Dublin, Mr Donohoe said that Ireland and Europe need to take steps to strengthen its economy in a world that is becoming more volatile.

On Irish premier Micheal Martin’s St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington next month, the Fine Gael minister said it will be a “very balanced discussion” with Mr Trump.

“We will acknowledge the friendship that is there between Ireland and America, but also acknowledge the very clear challenges and difficulties that are there due to what is now unfolding in Ukraine and due to the challenges that we can face from a tariff point of view and indeed the tax point of view,” Mr Donohoe added.

“But I expect the message that the Government of Ireland will be giving is these challenges are real, but they’re best dealt with from the point of view of negotiation, co-operation and, even in these difficult moments, partnership.

“We want to, through the European Union, negotiate with the United States to avoid the worst and to try to find agreed and better outcomes versus taking actions that could cause huge challenges to the global economy, to America and to Ireland.”

He said that billions of euro in trade is exchanges in goods and services between the US and the European Union.