Finland–United States relations
Encyclopedia
Finland – United States relations are bilateral relations between Finland and the United States.
level.
During the Second World War, as the Finnish government joined the Axis Powers
, relations were maintained nevertheless. The US government resisted Soviet pressures to declare war on Finland, but on June 30, 1944 it agreed to sever diplomatic relations with the Finnish government. Following the Finnish withdrawal from the war and Finnish action against German troops in early 1945, the US government reopened its legation in Helsinki on March 1, 1945. On August 20, 1945, negotiations were started between the two governments on re-establishing diplomatic relation, and this was done on August 31.
Relations between the two countries were raised to embassy level on September 10, 1954.
Relations between the United States and Finland are warm. Some 200,000 U.S. citizens visit Finland annually, and about 3,000 U.S. citizens are resident there. The U.S. has an educational exchange program in Finland that is comparatively large for a Western European country of Finland’s size. It is financed in part from a trust fund established in 1976 from Finland’s final repayment of a U.S. loan made in the aftermath of World War I
.
Finland is bordered on the east by Russia and, as one of the former Soviet Union
’s neighbors, has been of particular interest and importance to the US both during the Cold War
and in its aftermath. Before the USSR dissolved in 1991, longstanding US policy was to support Finnish neutrality while maintaining and reinforcing Finland’s historic, cultural, and economic ties with the West. The US has welcomed Finland’s increased participation since 1991 in Western economic and political structures.
Economic and trade relations between Finland and the United States are active and were bolstered by the F-18 purchase. U.S.–Finland trade totals almost $5 billion annually. The U.S. receives about 7% of Finland’s exports – mainly pulp and paper, ships, machinery, electronics, instruments, and refined petroleum products and provides about 7% of its imports principally computers, semiconductors, aircraft, machinery.
Principal U.S. officials include
The U.S. embassy in Finland is in Helsinki
.
History
Following the Finnish declaration of independence on December 6, 1917, the US government was among the first to recognize it. Diplomatic relations between the two governments were established in 1920 at a LegationLegation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
level.
During the Second World War, as the Finnish government joined the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
, relations were maintained nevertheless. The US government resisted Soviet pressures to declare war on Finland, but on June 30, 1944 it agreed to sever diplomatic relations with the Finnish government. Following the Finnish withdrawal from the war and Finnish action against German troops in early 1945, the US government reopened its legation in Helsinki on March 1, 1945. On August 20, 1945, negotiations were started between the two governments on re-establishing diplomatic relation, and this was done on August 31.
Relations between the two countries were raised to embassy level on September 10, 1954.
Relations between the United States and Finland are warm. Some 200,000 U.S. citizens visit Finland annually, and about 3,000 U.S. citizens are resident there. The U.S. has an educational exchange program in Finland that is comparatively large for a Western European country of Finland’s size. It is financed in part from a trust fund established in 1976 from Finland’s final repayment of a U.S. loan made in the aftermath of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Finland is bordered on the east by Russia and, as one of the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
’s neighbors, has been of particular interest and importance to the US both during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and in its aftermath. Before the USSR dissolved in 1991, longstanding US policy was to support Finnish neutrality while maintaining and reinforcing Finland’s historic, cultural, and economic ties with the West. The US has welcomed Finland’s increased participation since 1991 in Western economic and political structures.
Economic and trade relations between Finland and the United States are active and were bolstered by the F-18 purchase. U.S.–Finland trade totals almost $5 billion annually. The U.S. receives about 7% of Finland’s exports – mainly pulp and paper, ships, machinery, electronics, instruments, and refined petroleum products and provides about 7% of its imports principally computers, semiconductors, aircraft, machinery.
Principal U.S. officials include
- AmbassadorUnited States Ambassador to FinlandThis is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Finland.Until 1917 Finland had been a subject of Russia as the Grand Duchy of Finland. As a result of the Bolshevist October Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence on December 6, 1917. On December 22 This is a list of...
-- Bruce J. OreckBruce J. OreckBruce J. Oreck is the U.S. Ambassador to Finland.His father David Oreck founded the Oreck Corporation .Oreck holds a Bachelor of Arts from The Johns Hopkins University, and a Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University, as well as a Masters of Law in Taxation from New York University... - Deputy Chief of Mission – Michael A. Butler, Chargé d'Affaires
- Public Affairs Counselor — Nicole Conn
- Political Section Chief — Greg Thome
- Labor Attache (Pol)--Lisa Conesa
- Economic Section Chief—Jane Messenger
- Management Officer—Ted Plosser
- Commercial Officer—Brian McCleary
- Defense Attache—Joy Shasteen
- Consular Officer—Pirkko Urli
- Regional Security Officer—Bruce Warren
- Agricultural Officer—Stephen Huete (resident in The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
) - Chief Janitor-Michael Hawk
The U.S. embassy in Finland is in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.