Helsinki, Finland CNN —
President Joe Biden is on Thursday for a summit with Nordic leaders in Helsinki, Finland, offering the countries an opportunity to strengthen security cooperation in the face of threats from Russia and China.
Biden will meet with the leaders of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. This is the third such summit and the first of the Biden administration. It follows a major Biden victory in Vilnius, Lithuania, after Turkey dropped its objections to Sweden joining NATO earlier this week, but also provides leaders with a forum to discuss a range of other pressing issues.
Leaders enter Thursday’s meeting with momentum after Finland joined NATO and Sweden is due to join the alliance, providing a boost and a strong show of unity amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The historic announcement marked a stunning about-face by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has stood in the way of Sweden joining NATO for more than a year due to a multitude of concerns.
The Biden government led a full court press in the days leading up to the Vilnius summit, capping months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy to get Turkey to press ahead with Sweden’s accession.
Security in the Arctic is one of the other issues up for discussion. Both China and Russia have a presence in the Arctic, an area that is becoming increasingly accessible due to climate change.
Amid the more than 500-day war in Ukraine, Russia has continued to expand its military bases in the Arctic region. Satellite images obtained by CNN months ago show continued progress in fortifying and expanding radar bases and airstrips in the region.
China is also expanding its presence in the region.
The US, itself an Arctic state, is taking its own steps to increase its involvement in the region.
They are also expected to discuss areas of technological collaboration, including 5G and artificial intelligence. Commitment to climate change and clean energy will also be central themes during the visit to Helsinki.
Biden will first hold an in-person meeting with his Finnish counterpart, President Sauli Niinistö, who sat at the NATO leaders’ table with Biden for the first time as a member this week in Vilnius.
Later on Thursday, Nordic leaders will gather for the summit, followed by a joint press conference with Niinistö and Biden. This is the first time the US President has answered reporters’ questions in a formal setting during the week-long trip.
In the evening he returns to Washington.