Finnish President Alexander Stubb and US President Donald Trump bonded during a round of golf, sparking a close relationship that has propelled the Nordic nation into an unexpected role in Ukraine peace efforts.

The charismatic and athletic 57-year-old Finn is one of a handful of European leaders whose opinion Trump now regularly seeks out, notably on how to deal with Russia, with which Finland shares a long border.

“Among small countries, there is no equivalent whatsoever. (Stubb) has gained unique access to Trump that no one else from a smaller European country has ever had,” Jan Hallenberg of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs told AFP.

A triathlete known for his straight talk and flashy smile, Stubb — who attended Furman University in South Carolina state on a golf scholarship — spent seven hours playing golf with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in March.

The pair hit it off.

Earlier this month, Stubb was among a select group of European leaders who accompanied Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House for high-stakes talks,  alongside diplomatic heavyweights like France and Britain.

Trump was full of flattery and praise as he gave Stubb the floor, calling him a “young, powerful man”.

“You’ve done a great job, and we wanted to have you here because you are somebody that we all respect,” Trump told him.

Speaking to reporters this week, Stubb said that he and Trump have frank talks where they air their dissenting views.

“I believe that our relationship has already reached the stage where we can disagree on things and talk about it openly,” Stubb said.

“I have talked about tariffs, for example. I am of the opinion that tariffs benefit the global economy to a limited extent, and benefit small countries that believe in open and free trade very little.”

History with Russia

In a speech this week in Helsinki, Stubb noted that personal relations “are becoming increasingly important in international affairs”.

He acknowledged that a country like Finland, with just 5.6 million people, doesn’t usually play a big role on the international stage.

“As a small nation, our power — hard power in particular — is limited. As part of the European Union, NATO and other groups, our power grows. And by practicing clever diplomacy, we can increase our influence,” Stubb said.

According to Hallenberg, the fact that Finland is now helping shape European security policy comes down to just that: Stubb’s own clever diplomacy.

It “is due to his personality, and Finland’s unique location and history”, with its recent NATO accession giving it a springboard.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia. It dropped decades of military non-alignment in 2023 to join NATO.

Finnish leaders have a long history of dealing with Russia.

The Nordic country declared independence from Russia in 1917, only to find itself repelling a Soviet invasion in 1939.

It ended up ceding 10% of its territory to the Soviet Union.

During the Cold War, Finland submitted to a period of forced neutrality under Moscow’s watchful eye called “Finlandisation”.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Helsinki had high hopes for a new era with its powerful neighbour.

Stubb’s predecessor, Sauli Niinisto, once prided himself on his close ties with Putin. Niinisto was reputed to have met with Putin more often than any other European leader.

Putin not ‘to be trusted’

Much has changed. Putin is not “to be trusted”, according to Stubb, who has been president since 2024.

Stubb, who speaks five languages and has a PhD from the London School of Economics, has previously served as Finland’s prime minister, foreign minister and finance minister.

Sinikukka Saari, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, said the president had gained Trump’s trust as leader of a small country who doesn’t come off as a threatening player in international politics.

“He may be more of a mediator and conciliator in this group than someone who sets the agenda for where European politics should be heading,” she told AFP.

AFP

Source link