US President Donald Trump looks on next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured) at the NATO summit of heads of state and government in The Hague on June 25, 2025. Photo: Piroschka Van de Wouw / AFP / Lehtikuva
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The United States is negotiating with Finland to acquire a second-hand icebreaker, US President Donald Trump confirmed during a NATO summit in The Hague. Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has verified that discussions are ongoing.
The icebreaker in question has not been named, but officials clarified that it is not Polaris, Finland’s most recent vessel, built in 2016. “Discussions about selling or leasing one icebreaker are underway. I won’t specify which one, but it’s not Polaris,” said Reko-Antti Suojanen, industrial adviser at the ministry.
Trump said the icebreaker under consideration is five to six years old, though no Finnish state-owned vessel matches that description. Speaking at the summit, Trump described the negotiation as active, saying, “I offered him about a third of the price he was asking. We’re negotiating.”
This is not the first time the US has explored acquiring Finnish icebreakers. Similar negotiations took place during Trump’s previous presidency but did not lead to a deal. This time, however, interest in Finnish shipbuilding has resurfaced, especially in the context of broader Arctic cooperation.
While talks about second-hand vessels continue, Suojanen said that a more significant development would be if the United States decided to place new icebreaker orders with Finnish shipyards. “Discussions are taking place on this front too, but the state is not involved. These talks are between shipbuilding companies and potential buyers,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly indicated his administration’s interest in purchasing icebreakers from Finland. Shipbuilding capacity exists at the Rauma shipyard and at the Helsinki shipyard, which is owned by Canadian firm Davie.
In March, Davie secured a contract worth over €2 billion to build an icebreaker for the Canadian government. The vessel will be started in Helsinki and finished in Canada. That deal was facilitated by the trilateral Ice Pact signed in 2023 by Finland, the United States, and Canada, aimed at fostering collaboration in Arctic maritime operations.
Trump, speaking informally during the summit, also commented on his relationship with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whom he described as “a very good golfer”. The two have played golf together in recent months, according to Trump.
The Finnish government has not disclosed which icebreaker is under negotiation or the value of the potential transaction. Any sale or lease of state-owned assets requires approval from the relevant Finnish authorities.
Shipbuilding has long been a key industrial sector in Finland, with its icebreaking technology considered among the most advanced globally. The outcome of the negotiations may influence future procurement policies and further strengthen cooperation between the NATO partners in Arctic security and logistics.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
