Golf and Diplomacy: How Alexander Stubb Won a Seat at Trump’s Table

When European leaders dashed to the White House for an urgent meeting on Ukraine last month, a surprise participant was present alongside the heads of the region’s four heavyweight nations, the European Commission and NATO.

President Alexander Stubb of Finland, a country of fewer than 6 million people, didn’t just occupy the sidelines of the Aug. 18 Oval Office meeting — he was seated beside his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and across from President Donald Trump.