When Donald Trump met with Volodymyr Greeny and European leaders on Monday in the White House, two less anticipated characters appeared among well -known leaders such as Emanuel Macron and Ursula von Der Leyen: Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Stubb: from Eurocrata Trump’s friend
Alexander Stubb is the most surprising participant in negotiations with Trump and the perfect paradox of Trump’s government. Fifty -six -year -old Finnish president is everything that Trump would not have to attract theoretically: it is a polyglot speaking five languages, a former MEP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister who built his career on European integration and cooperation. It comes from a country that works on a social approach – quite the opposite as the US. In Finland, political decisions are made – unlike the United States – collectively, not authoritarian.
And yet this educated Eurocrat got into Trump’s inner circle. He did it through the least diplomatic channel – golf.
Their story began in March this year at the Trump Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Stubb, who once studied at the American University with a golf scholarship and originally dreamed of a professional golf career, found himself at the tournament where he played alongside the US President.
It was supposed to be an ordinary golf afternoon, but it grew into an unexpected diplomatic friendship. Trump even gave Stubb a new set of golf sticks to replace his twenty -year equipment. But more importantly, what happened between the strokes was. The stubb, who had previously said publicly that Trump did not like and questioned his behavior, discussed the history of Finland with Russia during the game. And he urgently persuaded Trump to take a firm attitude to Ukraine. In addition, he warned him of adding to Vladimir Putin.
When Trump asked if he could trust Putin, the stubb (President of the country with the longest border with Russia in the EU) answered him openly: “You can’t”. Since that meeting, StubB has become a contact person for European leaders and American officials trying to influence Trump’s political positions. Their unexpected friendship was also underlined by the announced American purchase of 40 pieces of Finnish icebreakers.
Trump, who considers the EU to be “based on robbing America, now regularly listens to advice from a man who was one of the architects of European integration. The President, despising small countries, conducts night talks with a leader of a five -million country.
European diplomats are joking that sometimes they hear news from Trump to Stubba before Washington. StubB even receives night phone calls and messages from Trump, discussing not only international negotiations, but also about golf tournaments. Already British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Genskyj were briefing about his communication with Trump.
Meloni: The only one on the inauguration
If Stubb is Trump’s unexpected friend, Giorgia Meloni is his natural soul mate. Forty -eight -year -old Italian Prime Minister has been leading the most remedial government of Italian since Benita Mussolini and is advised by the list of leaders that Trump has obviously liked.
After the first meeting in Paris at the end of last year, Trump described it as a “true lively woman” with whom he could “work with to correct the world a little. After the second meeting in Mar-A-Lago in January, she called her a” fantastic woman “who rebels Europe. And then came the most striking honor: she was the only EU government boss invited to Trump’s inauguration.
Meloni has built the reputation of Trump’s whisper in Europe. Her opinions on topics such as immigration, LGBTQ law and abortion overlap with Trump. Both criticize judges who do not decide in their favor.
On the other hand, Meloni has a clear attitude towards Russia. It is unconditionally on the side of Ukraine and openly supports it. This is one of the reasons why several European politicians expect that Meloni can be an important person who convinces Trump not to grant only the Russian side in peace negotiations.
Friendship confirmed in an unexpected place
Both European leaders confirmed their friendship with Trump this year in the Vatican at the funeral of Pope Francis. Both Stubb and Meloni sat near the US President. Stubb often talked to Trump during the ceremony, Meloni had an appointment with Trump.
Even such confidence, whether Trump or the US administration towards Meloni and Stubb, proves that the US president listens and feels good in their presence.
Yesterday’s meeting in the White House was one of the most important diplomatic moments since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. After a bilateral interview between Trump and Greeny, an extraordinary delegation of European leaders joined them: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President of the European Commission Ursula von Der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the mentioned couple Meloni.
The meeting came at a key moment – after the Trump summit with Putin in Alaska, where the Russian President allegedly agreed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine similar Article 5 NATO. European leaders pushed on the need for a ceasefire as a prerequisite for any further negotiations – Trump proposed direct trilateral interviews between him, Green and Putin.
It was a completely different meeting for Zelensky than his February visit, which ended in a loud quarrel with Trump and Vice President JD Vanc. This time the Ukrainian president came up with the European Coalition of Leaders who decided that Europe will not be excluded from negotiations on the future of Ukraine.
