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International security concerns at forefront of upcoming US-Finland meeting

President Donald Trump will raise concerns about Russia's military buildup in the Arctic and position Nokia as a western 5G alternative when Finnish President Sauli Niinistö visits the White House on Oct. 2, according to a senior administration official.

"The president is concerned about Russia's large military buildup in the Arctic and China's growing ambition and presence," the official told reporters on a briefing call Oct. 1.

Trump is also expected to discuss positioning Nokia as a better provider of 5G services than Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE. The U.S. initially imposed export restrictions on ZTE Corp. in April 2018 under a ban intended to last seven years. It was lifted after two months as the government reached a $1.4 billion settlement with the company. Lawmakers also passed legislation in 2018 banning federal contracts with companies that do business with Huawei, though Reuters reported in June that the White House was seeking more time to phase in that ban.

"Finland is home to Nokia, which has quickly developed 5G technology that is at least on par with that of Huawei and ZTE, and presents one of the viable alternatives for those countries that cherish privacy of their citizens' data, the integrity of their networks, [and] the security of their critical infrastructure," the official said. "The president will discuss with President Niinistö how we can work together to further improve western 5G alternatives to the Chinese communist party surveillance tools which they masquerade around Europe as 'smart cities.'"

The official said Trump will also discuss with Niinistö the possibility of a comprehensive U.S.-EU trade deal, as Finland currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.