Smith’s urging came as Martin met with Spain’s PM at his La Moncloa residence in Madrid on Tuesday(Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)
The Taoiseach should follow Spain’s lead and ‘stand up to Trump’ during his St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House, a politician said.
Labour spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Duncan Smith called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to follow the example of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in being unwavering in challenging President Trump ahead of Martin’s visit to the White House for St Patrick’s Day.
Smith’s urging came as Martin met with Spain’s PM at his La Moncloa residence in Madrid on Tuesday.
READ MORE: President of Ireland’s scathing response to Trump’s actions in Iran war as POTUS slams alliesREAD MORE: Trump desperately downplays JD Vance split as anger over Iran grows
“Today, the Taoiseach meets Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at a moment of deep instability in global affairs. Ireland must be clear about where it stands. The Spanish Government has shown what political leadership looks like when it comes to defending international law and human rights. The question now is whether Micheál Martin will take a leaf out of Pedro Sánchez’s book or continue trying to play every side,” Smith explained.
Sanchez underlined his opposition to war and what he called a “breakdown of international law.”(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
During a 10-minute televised address last Wednesday, the Spanish PM stood up to President Trump’s threat to impose a full trade embargo after the country refused to allow the U.S. to use the jointly run bases at Morón and Rota to strike Iran.
Sanchez underlined his opposition to war and what he called a “breakdown of international law.”
“The question is not if we are on the side of the ayatollahs [Iran’s clerical rulers] – nobody is. The question is whether we are in favor of peace and international legality,” he said.
“You cannot answer one illegality with another, because that is how the great catastrophes of humanity begin,” Sanchez added.
Smith further pointed to Sanchez being the only European leader willing to speak plainly about the “illegality of war on Iran.”
“There is no doubt these actions represent a breach of international law and democratic leaders across Europe must say so clearly,” he added.
Smith urged the Taoiseach to “listen carefully” to Sanchez’s words and noted that Spain had not backed down from using strong language “in defense of human rights.”
He also praised Sanchez’s “clarity and conviction” of declaring that Spain does not conduct business with “with what he described as a genocidal state in reference to trade with Israel. That clarity and conviction have been largely absent from the Irish Government in recent months.”
Smith underlined that it would be a “mistake” for the Taoiseach’s visit to the White House to be simply a series of platitudes without challenging Trump directly.
“One thing we cannot see is the Taoiseach playing into Donald Trump’s hands or staying silent to protect political relationships or commercial interests.”
“The Taoiseach must follow the example set by Pedro Sánchez and show that Ireland will not sit on the fence when international law is breached. When he travels to Washington next week, he must be clear and principled. That is what leadership looks like,” Smith said.