Finnish President Alexander Stubb will sign an agreement in Washington on Thursday that will allow the sale of several icebreakers, reinforcing the American presence in the Arctic against Russia and China, in accordance with the wishes of Donald Trump.
“This memorandum of understanding (MOU) lays the foundation for commercial agreements between the United States Coast Guard and Finnish companies,” added Alexander Stubb. “The US administration has been negotiating directly with the companies.”
The President of the United States has been saying for several months that he wants to acquire from Finland these enormous ships capable of breaking the ice in the Arctic seas.
“Essential” ships
On August 11, 2025, the US administration announced the commissioning of the “first Arctic icebreaker in a quarter of a century,” the USCGC Storis, in Juneau, Alaska. This ship is a former oil industry support building that has been renovated.
In its statement, the Department of Homeland Security considered icebreakers “essential” to the US presence in the Arctic “due to their growing potential for oil and gas exploration, critical minerals, commercial traffic, fishing and tourism.”
It is in this context that the Finnish president visits the United States. The two leaders have a good relationship and have bonded through golf.
President Trump plans to give $25 billion to his Coast Guard to “protect this region.”
Source: BFM TV
