Finnish President Alexander Stubb has made a surprise trip to meet with Donald Trump in Florida, where the two leaders discussed strengthening their countries' bilateral partnership while playing a round of golf.
"President Stubb and I look forward to strengthening the partnership between the United States and Finland, and that includes the purchase and development of a large number of badly needed Icebreakers for the US, delivering Peace and International Security for our Countries, and the World," the US president posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday
The two presidents met for breakfast, played golf and had lunch together. They also discussed foreign policy issues, including Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with Stubb in Helsinki last week.
Trump's meeting with Stubb took place a day after Vice President JD Vance made an uninvited visit to Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Finland's close Nordic ally Denmark where he accused Denmark of doing a poor job keeping Greenland safe.
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, part of a growing international focus on competition to control the Arctic. Denmark's government opposes such a move, as do most Greenland residents.
Trump told NBC News on Saturday he would "never take military force off the table" to accomplish his goal, but said he believed there was "a good possibility" it could be done without resorting to force.
Asked what message acquiring Greenland would send to Russia and the rest of the world, Trump said, “I don’t really think about that. I don’t really care".
Finland is the world's leading producer of icebreakers. About 80 per cent of the ships have been designed by Finnish companies, and around 60 per cent of them have been built at Finnish shipyards.
In November, Canada, Finland and the US administration of former President Joe Biden signed a deal called the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort to work "together to develop world-class Arctic and polar icebreakers through the exchange of knowledge, information, and resources."
Meanwhile, Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussenon scolded the Trump administration for its “tone” in criticising Denmark and Greenland, saying his country was already investing more into Arctic security and remains open to more co-operation with the US.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will visit Greenland this week to discuss co-operation with the territory amid the US criticism and ongoing threats from the Trump administration to take control of the Arctic island.
Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory of 57,000 people which has had self-rule since 2009.
with AP
