 "Exclusive: How did Finland crack the Trump code? President Stubb says ‘it started with golf’")
As Europe navigates a volatile security landscape, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has offered a rare insight into how he’s managed to cultivate a “working relationship” with President Donald Trump, a leader many world figures struggle to engage.
Stubb, a former Prime Minister (2014-15) and Foreign Minister (2008-2011), credited an unexpected activity—golf—as the starting point for their connection.
In an exclusive interview with Firstpost’s Managing Editor Palki Sharma in Helsinki on Monday, President Stubb, whose country recently joined NATO and shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia, discussed the unique nature of the Finnish-US dynamic and the broader geopolitical shifts impacting the Arctic region.
From the fairway to foreign policy
President Stubb, a known enthusiast who once had professional golf aspirations, told Firstpost that the personal rapport with Trump began through a game arranged by Senator Lindsey Graham in Florida.
“It probably all started from golf,” Stubb said. “I was the first foreign leader with whom he played golf, and we hit it off quite well.”
Stubb said the personal connection was key because Donald Trump is “the most powerful man in the world,” and being able to connect with him personally is extremely valuable for a smaller country like Finland.
More than a game: A transactional relationship
While the personal bond began on the fairway, Stubb was quick to stress that the relationship quickly matured into a transactional one, benefiting both nations strategically.
“There’s also, you know, transactional relationship here,” he explained, citing key defence and technology deals as the foundation for state-to-state trust. These deals include the United States requiring Finland’s expertise in Ice Breakers and the massive Finnish purchase of 64 F-35 fighter jets from the US.
“It’s partially social and personal and then part partially really state to state based,” Stubb concluded.
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