Finnish president moves to persuade Trump over NATO withdrawal threat

[Financial News] Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that he held in-depth discussions with US President Donald John Trump on key issues including the Islamic Republic of Iran, the situation in Ukraine, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
On the 1st, President Stubb wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account that he and President Donald Trump had "constructive discussions and an exchange of ideas," stressing that the many international challenges facing the world today "must be resolved in a pragmatic way."
Recently, President Stubb has reportedly been building a close rapport with President Trump through frequent text messages and phone calls. In particular, he has positioned himself as a bridge, conveying European countries' views and perspectives to Trump.
The latest meeting drew even more attention because it came as President Trump has been stepping up pressure on NATO allies.
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that President Trump had raised the possibility of withdrawing from NATO if allied countries did not help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
A long-time strong supporter of NATO, President Stubb is seen as having tried through this contact to soften Trump's hard-line stance and to find pragmatic common ground to maintain the cohesion of the transatlantic alliance.
In an interview with UK daily The Telegraph, President Trump called NATO a "paper tiger." Asked whether the United States might withdraw from NATO after the end of the war with the Islamic Republic of Iran, he replied, "Yes. I would say it is a matter that leaves no room for reconsideration."
He repeatedly emphasized that the United States had supported Ukraine throughout the four-year Russia-Ukraine war, and he described NATO's refusal to help in the current crisis with the Islamic Republic of Iran as a "betrayal."

jjyoon@fnnews.com Yoon Jae-joon Reporter