Joe Biden sends ‘candid’ message to Liz Truss on NI in first talks

The new ‘special relationship’ got off to a rocky start last night when Joe Biden sent a ‘candid’ message about his ‘personal’ feelings on the Northern Ireland Brexit row.

The Prime Minister and US President sat down for their first talks at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Aid workers said the discussions lasted 75 minutes instead of the scheduled hour, and there was a united front on Ukraine and the response to Russia.

However, the leaders appear to have had an uneasy exchange of views about Northern Ireland, with US officials describing the conversation as “candid” – mostly coding that there was no agreement.

Mr Biden is said to have emphasized the “personal interest” he attaches to resolving the dispute over the province and protecting the Good Friday Agreement.

For her part, Ms Truss has filled in to the US President about her talks with EU commission chair Ursula von der Leyen and has indicated that she wants to settle the issues within six months.

The Prime Minister is aiming to get the Northern Ireland Executive back to work, in time for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement at Easter.

That could also coincide with a state visit by Mr Biden to the UK.

Threats from the UK to nullify parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol after Brexit have sparked tensions between Britain and Washington.

Mr Biden told the prime minister he was “looking forward to hearing what you think” about the protocol when they met at a United Nations summit.

While the cameras were still rolling, she told him: ‘Of course I look forward to discussing the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and how we can ensure that it is enforced in the future.’

Downing Street said the leaders had only a “very brief discussion” about the protocol.

A member of the president’s team brought it up at the end of the meeting, with No. 10 insisting that Mr. Biden was not seeking reassurance.

He characterized the tone of the meeting as “warm” and that they did not discuss a UK-US trade deal, with Ukraine instead dominating the discussions.

A US official said Biden made it clear that protecting the Good Friday Agreement is “a matter of twofold importance in the United States and a matter of personal importance to him as president.”

Downing Street said Ms Truss and Ms von der Leyen met “one on one” for over half an hour.

The spokesperson was unable to answer questions about the meeting, including whether there had been a breakthrough or new ideas being discussed between them, because he was not in the room.

The White House had expanded the protocol’s significance in talks with Mr Biden, who is vocally proud of his Irish heritage, ahead of the meeting.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan made it clear that Biden would discuss it “in detail” with Ms. Truss.

The Prime Minister is pushing ahead with the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Act, which the EU and other critics say violates international law by suspending parts of the agreement.

There have also been suggestions that she could unilaterally activate Article 16 of the protocol to nullify parts of the agreement brokered as part of the Brexit divorce deal.

But instead, No. 10 said Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and how the US can help with the UK’s energy security were much more prominent in the broad and “warm” discussions.

Mr Biden and Ms Truss met after the president sent a tweet just as the prime minister was discussing her economic policy, stating that he was “sick and tired of the trickle-down economy.”

“It never worked,” he said.

The comments underlined the differences between the two leaders’ positions, just as Ms. Truss says she wants to foster closer ties with international allies.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said it was “ridiculous” to suggest that Mr Biden criticized British policy, arguing that each country faces different economic challenges.