The Taoiseach and the new British Prime Minister appear to be on a collision course over Brexit.
In his first address to Parliament in the top job, Boris Johnson called for the complete removal of the backstop from the Withdrawal Agreement.
Mr Johnson said that will be a key objective for him in negotiations with the European Union.
He said today: "No country that values its independence, and, indeed, its self-respect, could agree to a treaty which signed away our economic independence and self-government as this backstop does.
"A time limit is not enough if an agreement is to be reached it must be clearly understood that the way to the deal goes by way of the abolition of the backstop."
However, Leo Varadkar has said the backstop is essential to any agreement and can not be dropped.
"The backstop is an integral part of the Withdrawl Agreement," the Taoiseach said.
"Without the backstop, there is no Withdrawl Agreement, there's no transition phase, there's no implementation phase and there will be no free trade agreement until all those matters are resolved.
"So I hope that the new UK Prime Minister hasn't chosen no-deal, but that will be up to them."
Last night, Mr Varadkar said the new British PM's comments on the backstop are “not in the real world”.
On taking office yesterday, Mr Johnson at Downing Street declared: “Never mind the backstop, the buck stops here.”
However, his comments drew stinging criticism from Mr Varadkar who said Mr Johnson's comments were “clear cut but certainly not detailed.”
