Summit of US and Nordic leaders in Helsinki

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press release 25/2023
July 13, 2023

On July 13, 2023, the Presidents of Finland and the United States as well as the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden met in Helsinki for the third US-Nordic Leaders’ Summit. Building on previous meetings in the same format, the leaders reaffirmed the strong partnership between the US and the Nordics and the intensification of cooperation between their countries, with a focus on security, environment, technology and society.

On the security front, the Nordic countries and the United States reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. They steadfastly supported Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. They pledged to continue their support to Ukraine for as long as needed, including through sustained security, economic, legal and humanitarian assistance. The leaders pledged to continue diplomatic efforts to build the widest possible international support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter. This includes increased engagement and dialogue with global partners about the challenges faced by the war.

Meeting immediately after the NATO summit in Vilnius, the heads of state and government reaffirmed the Alliance’s importance for regional and transatlantic security and stability. The leaders of the United States and the Nordic countries welcomed the statement by Sweden, Turkey and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg on July 10, 2023 and look forward to Sweden joining NATO as soon as possible. The leaders noted that NATO membership of Finland and Sweden will strengthen the Nordic region’s ability to contribute even further to the security of all NATO allies. The Nordic countries also expressed appreciation for the continued US commitment to transatlantic, European and Northern European security and stand ready to deepen their security and defense cooperation with the United States, including through the Nordic Defense Cooperation.

Regarding the environment, leaders stressed that climate change and biodiversity loss are among the greatest challenges facing our planet. In this context, the Heads of State and Government underlined the importance of protecting and preserving the Arctic and promoting its sustainable economic development by working with the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. Leaders from the US and the Nordics discussed ways to increase cooperation on clean technologies, resource and energy efficiency, energy security, critical natural resources and resilient supply chains. They noted that working together on these issues is critical to achieving shared goals, namely addressing the climate crisis, accelerating the clean energy transition and maintaining high environmental, social, labor and governance standards. The heads of state and government are determined to seize the opportunities of the transition and to enable new jobs and growth. The United States and the Nordic countries are also working closely together in relevant international fora to address climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean health and sustainable development.

In technology, leaders recognized the critical importance of critical and emerging technologies – with appropriate guard rails and risk mitigation measures – to global prosperity and security. The United States and the Nordic countries have pledged to increase cooperation on technologies such as 5G and 6G, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technologies. They found that collaboration in basic and applied research allows the United States and Nordic partners to remain at the forefront of technology and to develop technologies and standards that are consistent with shared values ​​and interests and applied in ways that protect democracy and uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms. The leaders stressed the strategic importance of international connectivity.

Regarding society, leaders reaffirmed the fundamental and shared values ​​of democracy, respect for human rights, gender equality, protection and equal treatment of all people, the rule of law and economic freedom as the basis of US-Nordic cooperation. These values ​​are essential to the resilience of our societies. On this basis, increased cooperation between the United States and the Nordic countries will help reduce critical strategic dependencies and vulnerabilities and create a more prosperous and secure future for all of our citizens. The leaders stressed the importance of personal ties between their countries at all levels as an essential part of US-Scandinavian relations.