Urho Kekkonen
About Urho Kekkonen
The Finnish President who served for 25 years from 1956 to 1981. Kekkonen defined Finnish foreign policy during the Cold War. He maintained friendly relations with the Soviet Union while preserving Finnish democracy and Western economic ties. This balancing act became known as Finlandization. Kekkonen hosted the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in Helsinki in 1975. He was a canny political operator who dominated Finnish politics. Kekkonen resigned in 1981 due to declining health. His long tenure made him synonymous with Finnish Cold War diplomacy. He is both admired for preserving Finnish independence and criticized for excessive deference to Moscow.
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