Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about the war in Ukraine and other policy matters during a visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on March 29.
Stubb's visit was "unofficial," according to a press release from the Finnish government. It involved breakfast, lunch, and a round of golf.
"During the visit, the Presidents discussed among other things the relations between Finland and the United States, and current foreign and security policy issues, including Ukraine," the press release said.
The statement did not include any details on the substance of the leaders' policy discussions. In a recent interview with France 24, Stubb praised Trump's efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Ukraine but expressed skepticism towards Russia.
"But never underestimate the capacity of Russians to break a ceasefire. They'll continue to do it," he said.
Following his meeting with Stubb, Trump announced that the U.S. would purchase Finnish icebreaker vessels.
"President Stubb and I look forward to strengthening the partnership between the United States and Finland," Trump wrote in a post on the social media platform Truth Social.
"That includes the purchase and development of a large number of badly needed icebreakers for the U.S."
The icebreakers are critical to Trump's plans to expand U.S. power over the Arctic. The purchase announcement comes a day after U.S. Vice President JD Vance made a controversial visit to Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory Trump has threatened to annex.
Trump reiterated those ambitions on March 29 in an interview with NBC News.
"We'll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%," he said.
Trump said there was a "good possibility that we could do it without military force," but refused to rule out a military takeover.
"I don't take anything off the table," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 27 said that Trump was serious about his plans to acquire Greenland for the U.S. and alleged that the plan had "historical roots." Previously, the Kremlin said it was monitoring developments regarding Trump and Greenland due to Russia's own "strategic interests" in the Arctic region.
Russia also has a strategic interest in defending illegal annexations of sovereign foreign territory, given its ongoing occupation of Ukrainian regions, including Crimea.
Kateryna Denisova
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