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![]() Finland | ![]() United States |
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Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Finland, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, Helsinki |
Finland and the United States currently have good relations. The United States recognized Finland on May 7, 1919 after it declared independence in 1917, and officially established diplomatic relations in 1920. Due to World War II and Soviet pressure, relations were suspended between 1942 and 1945 before being raised to embassy level in 1954. Finland has been of strategic importance to the United States due to its position bordering the Soviet Union and later Russia, and after the end of the Cold War in 1991 Finland's shift to the West has led to warmer relations. There is significant trade activity, including military procurement, between the two countries.
The United States supported Finlanď's NATO membership during Finland's accession into NATO, which was finalized on 4 April 2023, and later that year, the two countries entered into a Defense Cooperation Agreement. Currently, both countries are members of the NATO and AC. The United States is Observer bureau of the BEAC and CBSS while Finland is a member of them.
Diplomatic relations between the governments of Finland and the United States were established in 1920 at a legation level. [1]
During the Second World War, although the Finnish government co-operated with the Axis Powers, relations were maintained. The U.S. government resisted Soviet pressures to declare war on Finland, but on June 30, 1944, it agreed to sever diplomatic relations with the Finnish government. After Finland had withdrawn from the war and acted against German troops in early 1945, the U.S. government reopened its legation in Helsinki on March 1, 1945. On August 20, 1945, negotiations were started between the two governments on re-establishing diplomatic relations, which was done on August 31. [2]
Relations between the two countries were raised to embassy level on September 10, 1954.[ citation needed ]
Relations between the United States and Finland are warm. Some 270,000 U.S. citizens visit Finland annually, and about 6,000 U.S. citizens are residents there.[ citation needed ] The U.S. has an educational exchange program in Finland that is comparatively large for a Western European country of Finland's size. It is financed in part from a trust fund established in 1976 from Finland's final repayment of a U.S. loan made in the aftermath of World War I.[ citation needed ]
Finland is bordered on the east by Russia and, as one of the former Soviet Union's neighbors, has been of particular interest and importance to the U.S. both during the Cold War and in its aftermath. Before the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, longstanding U.S. policy was to support Finnish neutrality and to maintain and reinforce Finland's historic, cultural, and economic ties with the West. The U.S. has welcomed Finland's increased participation since 1991 in Western economic and political structures.[ citation needed ]
In 2003, Anneli Jäätteenmäki of the Centre Party won the elections after she had accused her rival, Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, of allying neutral Finland with the United States in the Iraq War during a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush and thus associated Finland with what many Finns considered an illegal war of aggression. Lipponen denied the claims and declared, "We support the UN and the UN Secretary-General". Jäätteenmäki resigned as prime minister after 63 days in office amid accusations that she had lied about the leak of the documents about the meeting between Bush and Lipponen. That series of events was considered scandalous and it is named Iraq leak, or Iraqgate. [3]
Economic and trade relations between Finland and the United States are active and were bolstered by the F-18 Hornet purchase. U.S.–Finland trade totals almost $5 billion annually. The U.S. receives about 7% of Finland's exports – mainly pulp and paper, ships, machinery, electronics, instruments, and refined petroleum products [4] –and provides about 7% of its imports –principally computers, semiconductors, aircraft, machinery. U.S. President Joe Biden approved the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden in August 2022. [5]
On December 18, 2023, the US (represented by Antony Blinken) and Finland (represented by Antti Häkkänen and Elina Valtonen) signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in Washington, D.C. [6] [7]
The agreement regulates the presence of the US armed forces and their dependents on the territory of the Finland, as well as the presence and activities of US suppliers on the territory of the Finland.
The United States Ambassador to Finland is Doug Hickey [8]
President Joe Biden visited Helsinki on July 12, 2023 [9] and met with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö [10] and leaders of other Nordic nations, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. The purpose was to celebrate [11] Finland joining the NATO.
During 1975–2023 six presidents of the United States have visited Finland. Of them, George H. W. Bush visited Finland twice. Basic facts of these visits are given in the table below. In some cases, the table contains only the arrival date. [12]
In addition to this, Barack Obama visited Finland during 26–27 September 2019. He gave a talk at the Nordic Business Forum. [13]
Visits of United States Presidents to Finland | ||||||||
No | Year | Date | Visitor | Host | Reason for the visit | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 1975 | 29 July | Gerald Ford | Urho Kekkonen | Attended CSCE Summit | |||
2. | 1988 | 26–29 May | Ronald Reagan | Mauno Koivisto | Stop on the way to Moscow to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev | |||
3. | 1990 | 8 September | George H. W. Bush | Mauno Koivisto | Meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev in Helsinki | |||
4. | 1992 | 8 July | George H. W. Bush | Mauno Koivisto | Attended CSCE Summit | |||
5. | 1997 | 20 March | Bill Clinton | Martti Ahtisaari | Meeting with Boris Yeltsin in Helsinki | |||
6. | 2018 | 15–16 July | Donald Trump | Sauli Niinistö | Meeting with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki | |||
7. | 2023 | 13–14 July | Joe Biden | Sauli Niinistö | Meeting with Niinistö Meeting with Nordic prime ministers |
Visits of Finland Presidents to United States | ||||||||
No | Year | Date | Visitor | Host | Reason for the visit | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 1961 | 16–18 October | Urho Kekkonen | John F. Kennedy | Meeting with John F. Kennedy | |||
2. | 1970 | 23–25 July | Urho Kekkonen | Richard Nixon | Meeting with Richard Nixon | |||
3. | 1970 | 24 October | Urho Kekkonen | Richard Nixon | Attended White House dinner on 25th Anniversary of the U.N | |||
4. | 1976 | 3–5 August | Urho Kekkonen | Gerald R. Ford | Meeting with Gerald R. Ford | |||
5. | 1983 | 24–27 September | Mauno Koivisto | Ronald Reagan | Meeting with Ronald Reagan | |||
6. | 1991 | 6–8 May | Mauno Kivisto | George H. W. Bush | Meeting with George H. W. Bush | |||
7. | 1994 | 8–10 November | Martti Ahtisaari | Bill Clinton | Meeting with Bill Clinton | |||
8. | 1999 | 16–17 December | Martti Ahtisaari | Bill Clinton | Meeting with Bill Clinton | |||
9. | 2000 | 28 April | Tarja Halonen | Bill Clinton | Meeting with Bill Clinton | |||
10. | 2002 | 16 April | Tarja Halonen | George W. Bush | Meeting with George W. Bush | |||
11. | 2016 | 13 May | Sauli Niinistö | Barack Obama | Meeting with Barack Obama Meeting with Nordic prime ministers | |||
12. | 2017 | 28 August | Sauli Niinistö | Donald Trump | Meeting with Donald Trump | |||
13. | 2019 | 1–3 October | Sauli Niinistö | Donald Trump | Meeting with Donald Trump | |||
14. | 2022 | 4 March | Sauli Niinistö | Joe Biden | Meeting with Joe Biden | |||
15. | 2022 | 19 May | Sauli Niinistö | Joe Biden | Meeting with Joe Biden Meeting with Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson | |||
16. | 2023 | 6–10 March | Sauli Niinistö | Joe Biden | Meeting with Joe Biden | |||
17. | 2024 | 9–11 July | Alexander Stubb | Joe Biden | Meeting with Joe Biden attend 2024 NATO summit |
The Embassy of the United States is located in Helsinki. The Embassy of Finland is located in Washington, D.C..
According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 48% of Finnish people approve of U.S. leadership, with 34% disapproving and 18% uncertain. [14]
Finland–United States relations on Arctic issues are strong. Addressing these issues is normally done through the Arctic Council, as both countries believe it to be the leading way of cooperation on Arctic issues.
At the 2024 NATO summit, on 11 July 2024, it was decided that the United States, Canada and Finland are to form the ICE Pact, in which Finland will serve as the majority builder of icebreaker vessels. [15] [16]
The League of Finnish-American Societies (Finnish : Suomi-Amerikka Yhdistysten Liitto) is a non-profit organization promoting cultural exchange between countries which operates in Finland. It has around 30 chapters in Finland, e.g. those in Helsinki, Turku, Oulu and Kuopio. [17]
Finnish Americans celebrate FinnFest USA, a festival held annually in the United States on the occasion of midsummer.
The Republic of Estonia gained its independence from the Russian Empire on 24 February 1918 and established diplomatic relations with many countries via membership of the League of Nations. The forcible incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union in 1940 was not generally recognised by the international community and the Estonian diplomatic service continued to operate in some countries. Following the restoration of independence from the Soviet Union, Russia was one of the first nations to re-recognize Estonia's independence. Estonia's immediate priority after regaining its independence was the withdrawal of Russian forces from Estonian territory. In August 1994, this was completed. However, relations with Moscow have remained strained primarily because Russia decided not to ratify the border treaty it had signed with Estonia in 1999.
The foreign relations of Finland are the responsibility of the president of Finland, who leads foreign policy in cooperation with the government. Implicitly the government is responsible for internal policy and decision making in the European Union. Within the government, preparative discussions are conducted in the government committee of foreign and security policy, which includes the Prime Minister and at least the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence, and at most four other ministers as necessary. The committee meets with the President as necessary. Laws concerning foreign relations are discussed in the parliamentary committee of foreign relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements the foreign policy.
The Paasikivi–Kekkonen doctrine was a foreign policy doctrine established by Finnish President Juho Kusti Paasikivi and continued by his successor Urho Kekkonen, aimed at Finland's survival as an independent sovereign, democratic country in the immediate proximity of the Soviet Union.
Finland and Sweden share a long history, similar legal systems, and an economic and social model. Finland was part of Sweden for almost 700 years from around 1150 until the Finnish War of 1809 after which Finland became an autonomous part of the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland. Since Finland gained its full independence from Russia in 1917, Finland and Sweden have been close partners, enjoying a special relationship. The number of Finnish-Swedish connections and the quality of cooperation in most areas of the government is unique when compared to other international relations involving both countries. The Swedish language has an official status in Finland, whilst Finns form the largest ethnic minority in Sweden, estimated to be about 675,000.
Relations between Afghanistan and the United States began in 1921 under the leaderships of King Amanullah Khan and President Warren G. Harding, respectively. The first contact between the two nations occurred further back in the 1830s when the first recorded person from the United States explored Afghanistan. The United States government foreign aid program provided about $500 million in aid for economic development; the aid ended before the 1978 Saur Revolution. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 was a turning point in the Cold War, when the United States started to financially support the Afghan resistance. The country, under both the Carter and Reagan administrations committed $3 billion dollars in financial and diplomatic support and along with Pakistan also rendering critical support to the anti-Soviet Mujahideen forces. Beginning in 1980, the United States began admitting thousands of Afghan refugees for resettlement, and provided money and weapons to the Mujahideen through Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The USSR withdrew its troops in 1989.
The Iraq leak is a series of events that began on 6 March 2003 from a statement given by Anneli Jäätteenmäki, leader of the Finnish Centre Party, in a televised election debate prior to the 2003 parliamentary election. Jäätteenmäki accused Paavo Lipponen, the then Prime Minister of Finland, of attaching Finland to George W. Bush's 'coalition of the willing' that was in preparation for the 2003 war in Iraq. Lipponen had visited Washington on 9 December 2002.
The relations between Sweden and the United States reach back to the days of the American Revolutionary War. The Kingdom of Sweden was the first country not formally engaged in the conflict to recognize the United States before the Treaty of Paris. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed subsequently in 1783 between Benjamin Franklin and Swedish representative Gustaf Philip Creutz.
Diplomatic relations between Denmark and the United States of America began in 1783. Both countries are members of the Arctic Council, OECD, OSCE, NATO and the United Nations.
The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with Iceland since the mid-1800s.
Kenya–United States relations are bilateral relations between the Republic of Kenya and the United States. Kenya and the United States have long been close allies and have enjoyed cordial relations since Kenya's independence. Relations became even closer after Kenya's democratic transition of 2002 and subsequent improvements in human rights.
Lithuania is one of the most pro-United States nations in Europe and the world, with 73% of Lithuanians viewing the U.S. positively in 2011. According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 48% of Lithuanians approve of U.S. leadership, with 20% disapproving and 32% uncertain.
Bilateral relations between Mongolia and the United States formalized in 1987 with the establishment of diplomatic relations. Since then, the United States has become a key third neighbor to Mongolia, and in 2019 this relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership. Ties focus on education, development assistance, and defense.
Relations between Finland and Russia have been conducted over many centuries, from wars between Sweden and Russia in the early 18th century, to the planned and realized creation and annexation of the Grand Duchy of Finland during Napoleonic times in the early 19th century, to the dissolution of the personal union between Russia and Finland after the forced abdication of Russia's last czar in 1917, and subsequent birth of modern Finland. Finland had its own civil war with involvement by Soviet Russia, was later invaded by the USSR, and had its internal politics influenced by it. Relations since then have been both warm and cool, fluctuating with time.
Finland–Poland relations refer to bilateral relations of Finland and Poland. Both countries are members of the European Union, NATO, OECD, OSCE, Council of the Baltic Sea States, HELCOM, Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 March 1919. Finland strongly supported Poland's the European Union membership during the latter's accession process. Poland strongly supported Finland's NATO membership during the latter's accession process.
Diplomatic relations between Canada and Finland were established on November 21, 1947. Canada has an embassy in Helsinki, while Finland has an embassy in Ottawa. There are over 143,000 Canadians with Finnish ancestry and over 2,000 Canadian immigrants living in Finland.
Finland–Iceland relations are foreign relations between Finland and Iceland. Both nations are mutual members of the Arctic Council, Council of the Baltic Sea States, Council of Europe, Nordic-Baltic Eight, Nordic Council, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, NATO, and the United Nations.
Finland-Italy relations are foreign relations between Finland and Italy. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 September 1919. Finland has an embassy in Rome, Italy has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of Europe and the Eurozone.
Finland–Turkey relations are foreign relations between Finland and Turkey. Finland has an embassy in Ankara and an honorary consulate general in Istanbul and other honorary consulates in Adana, Alanya, Antalya, Belek, Bodrum, İzmir, and Kayseri. Turkey has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the Union for the Mediterranean. Also Finland is an EU member and Turkey is an EU candidate. Turkey did not support Finland's accession to NATO until March 2023, but accepted its participation.
Estonia–Mexico relations are the bilateral relations between Estonia and Mexico. Both nations are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.
Finland–Uruguay relations are the bilateral relations between Finland and Uruguay. Both nations are members of the United Nations.
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
Media related to Relations of Finland and the United States at Wikimedia Commons