Finnish president Niinistö to meet Donald Trump in Washington next month
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö will meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump during a working visit in early October. The two are to hold talks at the White House on 2 October, Niinistö’s office announced on Wednesday.
In a statement, it said the presidents “will discuss opportunities to increase cooperation between Finland and the United States, including European and Arctic security” as well as “ways to advance shared interests in commercial and technological cooperation”.
After talks and a working lunch, Trump and Niinistö are to hold a joint press conference.
Niinistö to address Climate Action Summit
The two are also likely to meet briefly a week earlier in New York, where Niinistö is to attend a reception hosted by Trump during the opening week of the UN General Assembly.
On 23 September, Niinistö will address the Climate Action Summit. Hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the meeting is intended to accelerate implementation of the UN’s Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which Trump says the US is abandoning.
The following day, 24 September, Niinistö will address the General Assembly as well as attending the Secretary General’s State Luncheon and Trump’s reception.
Niinistö last visited the White House in 2017. In July of the following year Trump visited Helsinki for his summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin at the Finnish Presidential Palace. Within the past month Niinistö met with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the US and Finland, launched two years after Finland gained independence from the Russian Empire.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Justin Trudeau, Mike Pompeo discussed Arctic cooperation during meeting, Radio Canada International
Finland: Finland’s new defence chief says country likely to reduce participation in international drills, Yle News
Iceland: Iceland & UK sign agreement to boost security, defence cooperation, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Norway rearming in Arctic to face new security landscape, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia deploys new missile system near Norwegian, Finnish borders, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström steps down, Radio Sweden
United States: In the Arctic as in space, Russia and West can look past differences to pursue common goals: study, Radio Canada International
