Trump to meet Finnish leader at White House to approve icebreaker deal

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Finnish President Alexander Stubb at the White House on October 9 to finalise a pact allowing the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase up to four icebreaker ships from Finnish shipyards, as per the latest report by Reuters.

Trump and Stubb have maintained friendly relations since Trump returned to office in January, including a March meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where the two played golf together.

The U.S. president has repeatedly emphasised the need for up to 40 new icebreakers to bolster national security in the Arctic and counter increasing influence from China and Russia.

A White House official confirmed that Trump will sign a memorandum of understanding with Finland to build four “Arctic Security Cutters” (ASCs) in Finnish shipyards, describing the initiative as a national security priority that necessitates foreign construction expertise. “We will then leverage Finnish expertise to construct up to seven new ASCs in U.S. shipyards,” the official added.

The 11-ship Arctic security cutter program, representing a new medium icebreaker class for the Coast Guard, is expected to cost around $6.1 billion. Three of the ships will be built by Davie in Galveston, Texas, and four by Bollinger Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana. The first icebreaker is scheduled for delivery by 2028.

The official noted that the deal will generate billions of dollars in investment in the U.S. maritime industry and create thousands of skilled trade jobs. Currently, the Coast Guard operates only two operational Arctic security cutters.

Trump and Stubb are also expected to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine. Despite previously attempting to use his personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin to broker a ceasefire, Trump has expressed disappointment in Putin and signalled a desire to increase support for Ukraine.

Finland is the world’s leading icebreaker producer, with Finnish companies designing approximately 80% of existing icebreakers and building about 60% in domestic shipyards, according to the Finnish government. Finnish officials have long sought icebreaker deals with the United States, though previous proposals were not approved.

By Tamilla Hasanova