Finnish President Alexander Stubb made an unannounced visit to Florida on Saturday, where he met with US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The two leaders discussed enhancing their countries’ bilateral partnership, with particular focus on the purchase and development of icebreakers for the US and their joint commitment to international peace and security.
Trump shared details of the meeting on Truth Social, stating, “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 informal meeting included breakfast, a round of golf, and lunch. In addition to their discussions on icebreakers, the two leaders also touched on foreign policy matters, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had met with Stubb in Helsinki just a week prior.
The Finnish President’s office confirmed that the visit was unannounced and informal. Trump had arrived at his Palm Beach estate on Friday before heading to his golf club in West Palm Beach on Saturday. Senator Lindsey Graham joined Trump’s team and praised Stubb’s golfing skills, noting the Finnish president’s background as an undergraduate golfer at Furman University in South Carolina.
The timing of the meeting coincided with US Vice President JD Vance’s controversial visit to Greenland, a Danish territory, where Vance accused Denmark of failing to ensure its safety. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a position that has drawn criticism from Denmark and Greenland’s residents.
During an NBC interview on Saturday, Trump declared that he would “never take military force off the table” regarding his goal to acquire Greenland but suggested a peaceful resolution was possible. When asked about the global implications of such an acquisition, he remarked, “I don’t really think about that. I don’t really care.”
As the world’s leading producer of icebreakers, Finland has significant expertise in the Arctic. About 80% of the world’s icebreakers are designed by Finnish companies, with 60% built in Finland. In November, Finland, Canada, and the US signed the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort to develop world-class Arctic and polar icebreakers through joint efforts.
Before the trip, Stubb had expressed a desire to use the opportunity to strengthen Finland’s relationship with the US and Trump, particularly through icebreaker diplomacy. Finland’s decision to join NATO alongside Sweden, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, marked a shift from its long-standing policy of military non-alignment. Trump’s criticism of NATO and his approach to Russia have prompted European nations, including Finland, to reassess their defence strategies.
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