Biden Unexpectedly Stops By to Meet Once Famed Putin Whisperer
- Nordic nation is waiting for final approval to join alliance
- Niinisto says Finland remains prepared to defend its border
This article is for subscribers only.
US President Joe Biden dropped into a meeting at the last minute in the White House to see a man all of Washington wants an audience with: Sauli Niinisto, once upon a time known as the “Putin whisperer.”
The impromptu meeting was thrown together as Biden joined Niinisto and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The pair of presidents have now met three times and spoken four since late 2021 — giving the Finnish head of state unprecedented access to the world’s most powerful leader.