President Alexander Stubbin A US visit indicates that With Donald Trump is a very positive perception of Finland and Stubb as president, says a researcher at the Institute of International Affairs Joel Linnainmäki.
Stubb met a US President yesterday on Saturday in Florida. Stubb and Trump met for breakfast, played golf and had lunch at Trump Manor in Mar-A-lago.
In social media, Trump posted a picture of presidents posing with a smile on the golf course. Trump also wrote that Stubb said that the United States has “returned” and is strong again.
So far, has not received a comment from Stubb about the meeting.
Researcher Linnainmäki says that Stubb has taken care of the visit well.
-The aim is to maintain strong Finland-UNIGrial relationships and to commit the United States to Finland’s security, despite the fact that times are uncertain. Here’s a bilateral level, Linnainmäki says in EPN’s telephone interview.
Stubb met Trump as the first Nordic state leader and just a couple of months after Trump’s inauguration. According to Linnainmäki, it can be rare for a small country representative to talk to Trump in the early stages of the season in such an informal format.
– It is valuable for a small country whose safety is dependent on the United States in many different ways.
However, he points out that smooth spacing does not eliminate uncertainties in relation to the United States. There may be problems between Trump and the Military Association NATO or the EU that also affect Finland.
Stubb took Trump to a message from Ukrainian supporters
In European comparison, the Finnish state leadership has been reluctant to criticize Trump’s administration directly in public, although many US leadership outputs have shocked US European allies.
However, according to researcher Joel Linnainmäki, it cannot be said that Trump’s visit invitation would be directly related to the moderation of Finnish statements.
According to Linnainmäki, Trump’s basic concept of Finland is positive, as Finland has taken care of its own defense.
Stubb, on the other hand Lindsey to Graham, Who was involved in the presidential golf tour on Saturday. Finland has also been contacted with Trump and Trump’s assistants even before the November presidential election.
To date, little publicity about Stubb’s visit has been made little public. However, has received information that Finland took a message to Trump about Europe’s views to resolve the Russian offensive war. The central message transmitted by Finland has been that a ceasefire must be taken to Ukraine.
Stubb has been sure to take his opportunity with Trump to present a message from the European supporters of Ukraine, says Linnainmäki.
– Stubb has said that the most important thing in the United States and Europe in the coming weeks is to try to convince the United States that Ukraine is not allowed to lose war and that Russia is not seriously involved in the peace process.
The most important thing for Finland’s foreign policy is to maintain the image of Finland as a trusted partner in Trump’s eyes, says Linnainmäki.
– The second most important thing is to try to straighten his worst views on the Ukrainian War and Russia, even if it does not always succeed.
Also icebreakers on display
Stubb met Trump only the day after the US Vice President JD VANCE Had had visited Greenland for a much attention visit. Vance said, among other things, that Denmark has failed to secure Greenland. The Danish Prime Minister criticized Vance’s comments.
Trump, on the other hand, repeated again on Saturday that the United States had to get Greenland and that he will not exclude any options to get it. Trump commented on the TV channel In the NBC’s telephone interviewwhere Stubb was also included for a moment.
Trump has long been estimated to seek to dismantle the unity of European countries. Is it from the schedule of recent days that the Trump administration is now trying to hit the wedge between the Nordic countries?
Researcher Linnainmäki says that it may not be the case.
– they [Trumpin hallinto] They may not have thought about their own playbook in Northern Europe or even in Europe, says Linnainmäki.
According to Linnainmäki, Vance’s Greenland trip can be interpreted as an attempt to translate attention away from the uproar Signal that is buzzing in the United States. Stubb’s visit to Florida happens to hit the same moment, says Linnainmäki.
So far, there is no information on what Stubb and Trump talked about Greenland. In any case, the Arctic area was on display, as Trump said that there was talk of icebreakers on social media. Among other things, the news channel CNN interpretedthat Trump has already promised to buy icebreakers from Finland.
According to EPN information, green light is still shown in the icebreaker project, but no turning agreement would have been made.