Finland and the United States are set to make an icebreaker deal, Finnish President Alexander Stubb confirmed on Thursday.
Stubb announced that he would sign a memorandum of understanding about "icebreaker cooperation" on Thursday, when he and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
There has been a good deal of speculation in Finnish media that the meeting would include the topic of Finland selling icebreakers to the US, and Stubb confirmed the matter in a post on social site X on Thursday afternoon.
"Looking forward to visiting the White House today with PM Orpo. I will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on icebreaker cooperation together with [the US president]. The [memorandum] lays the foundation for commercial agreements between the United States Coast Guard and Finnish companies," the first part of Stubb's post read.
"The US administration has negotiated directly with companies. I'm proud that Finnish arctic expertise is appreciated and trusted. The cooperation benefits both countries, Finland and the United States. The deal would not have been possible without President Trump," Stubb's post continued.
Details about the deal remained unconfirmed ahead of the White House meeting.
Citing an unidentified White House official, news agency Reuters reported on Thursday that the deal would involve the US acquiring 11 icebreakers.
Four of the specialised vessels would be constructed at shipyards in Finland, while seven would be built in the US, Reuters reported
According to the news agency's source, the total value of the deal would amount to around 6.1 billion US dollars.
US President Donald Trump has previously suggested that the United States may purchase icebreakers from Finland in the near future and has complimented the country's expertise in their manufacture.
Story edited to add that Stubb has confirmed an icebreaker deal with the US is moving forward.
