Obama greets Nordic leaders, saying they 'punch above their weight'

WASHINGTON — President Obama has an often-used boxing metaphor for the small European countries that make an oversized contribution to international efforts on terrorism, disease, climate change and migration: They "consistently punch above their weight," he says.

If that's true, Friday's gathering of Nordic leaders was the greatest collection of welterweights the White House has seen in quite some time.

Obama welcomed the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden for a state visit Friday, returning the hospitality fro his visit to Sweden in 2013.

"Our Nordic partners are not large countries, but there are almost no issues that we deal with — whether in terms of security or economics or humanitarian assistance — where the Nordic countries are not some of our most reliable and effective and important partners," Obama said in an arrival ceremony moved into the White House foyer because of rain. " And that’s why I wanted to invite them here today, because sometimes we have a tendency to take our best friends for granted, and it’s important that we not do so."

As is customary, Obama used the occasion to drop a few friendly jokes, remarking that Nordic languages often remind him of Game of Thrones.

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But after the welcoming ceremony, the six leaders got down to business. The gathering was too large to fit in the Oval Office, so it was held in the State Dining Room. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Icelandic Prime Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson sat around a large, U-shaped table.

Tops on the agenda: Russia's recent provocations throughout eastern and northern Europe.

"We're united in our concern about Russia's growing aggressive military presence and posture in the Baltic-Nordic region," Obama. "We will be maintaining ongoing dialogue and seek cooperation with Russia, but we also want to make sure that we are prepared and strong, and we want to encourage Russia to keep its military activities in full compliance with international obligations."

Obama also praised the commitment by the Nordic countries to climate change, their work on Arctic issues, their contributions to foreign aid and accepting Syrian refugees. And they discussed trade, the future of the European Union, and the upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw in July.

But Obama himself acknowledged that the summit lacked the behind-the-scenes tensions that often underlie top-level international meetings. "There was probably too much agreement to make for as exciting a multilateral meeting as I sometimes participate in," he said.

At a state dinner Friday night — held in a tent on the south lawn to accommodate the five delegations, dignitaries and celebrities — the Danish prime minister said the United States is one of Denmark's closest friends.

"The first time you invited me into the Oval Office, Mr. President, you said that Denmark is punching above our weight,"  Rasmussen said. "It made me proud.  It made us Danes feel a little special.  Now, some six years later, I understand that not only Denmark, but all the Nordic countries punch above our weight. But, nevertheless, I'm still proud."