The visit of the world’s most influential man is surrounded by extensive security arrangements.
President of the United States Joe Biden arrives in Finland today. Biden will fly to Finland in the evening directly from Vilnius, Lithuania, from the NATO summit, and according to the official program, the president’s plane, Air Force One, will arrive at Helsinki-Vantaa airport around 10:15 p.m.
Biden will spend the night in Helsinki, where the Nordic-US summit will be held on Thursday. Biden also has a bilateral meeting with the president Sauli Niinistön with. The summit will be held in the Presidential Palace.
The US president’s visit is surrounded by massive security arrangements, and they also have an impact on the traffic arrangements in the center of Helsinki, especially on Thursday.
The Helsinki Police Department receives help with security arrangements from other authorities, such as the Finnish Defense Forces, the Border Guard Service and the rescue service. Police officers from other places will also come to Helsinki to secure the summit.
The previous US president who visited Finland was Donald Trumpwho visited Helsinki in July 2018 to meet the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Trump was staying with his wife at the time Melania Trump with Munkkiniemi in the government guest house, which is now under renovation.
The previous summits between the President of the United States and the leaders of the Nordic countries were held in Stockholm in 2013 and in Washington in 2016. The situation is a little different now than it was then, because now all the Nordic countries are either members of NATO or, in the case of Sweden, right at the end of the NATO membership process.
100–200 foreign media representatives are expected in Helsinki to report on the meeting. About 200 domestic journalists and photographers have registered. The Press Center is at the Helsinki City Hall. There, domestic food and drink are available for journalists, such as an island menu with fish and domestic berries.