President Niinistö historically visited both the West and East Coasts of United States in March

President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö visited the United States, including the state of Washington, California, Virginia and Washington, D.C., on March 6-10, 2023. The visit focused on foreign and security policy issues, as well as the economic and technological cooperation between Finland and the United States. President Niinistö was accompanied by a business delegation. The United States is Finland’s largest trading partner, when calculating exports, imports and investments altogether.

The visit was historic in many ways. The President’s address to a Joint Session of the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives was the first time a foreign head of state has ever addressed Washington State Legislature. Furthermore, President Niinistö's visit to the West Coast of the United States was the first by a Finnish head of state in several decades.   

Finland’s partnerships with U.S. states are an increasingly important element of Finland’s bilateral cooperation with the United States. Finland and the State of Washington cooperate especially in the fields of green transformation and high technologies. In California, the President highlighted the importance of intensifying the cooperation with California, one of the world’s biggest economies, so that we can meet common challenges. Finland and California are forerunners in digital transition and climate policy. Transatlantic security cooperation was discussed in Norfolk, Virginia.

In Washington D.C., President Niinistö met with President Joe Biden and discussed Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership, support for Ukraine and the broader global development and superpower competition. The President had discussions also with several policymakers in Washington, D.C.

On March 9, the Embassy of Finland organized an event about U.S.–Finland partnerships in defense and emerging technologies. The event featured keynote addresses by President Niinistö, Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark and Congressman Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "The United States is a global leader in defense and technology, Ambassador Hautala said in his keynote speech. "But going forward, the democratic nations, we need all hands on deck."

Read and watch more:

• Speech by President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö at a Joint Session at the Washington State Capitol on 6 March 2023(Link to another website.)
• Video recording of a Fireside Chat discussion with State Senator Marko Liias at the National Nordic Museum(Link to another website.)
• Video recording of a discussion with President Sauli Niinistö at Stanford University on 8 March 2023(Link to another website.)
• Remarks of President Niinistö at Bifrost Summit in California on March 7th, 2023(Link to another website.)
• Finnish president visits Olympia in first stop on U.S. tour(Link to another website.)
   
• News article by the Office of the President about the visit to the United States(Link to another website.)
• Video about the event at the Embassy of Finland(Link to another website.)