Finland and Norway Leaders Hold Rare 90-Minute Call With Putin on Ukraine Peace
It was the first call between a European leader and the Russian president since Macron's in July 2025. Neither side said it moved the war toward an end, and Putin repeated his "root causes" demand.
The presidents and prime ministers of two of Russia's neighbors spoke directly with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, breaking a long stretch in which European leaders have had almost no direct contact with the Kremlin over the war in Ukraine.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre initiated the 90-minute joint call from Helsinki. Their offices said the aim was to "discuss Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the diplomatic efforts to end the war and promote peace and stability in Europe." Stubb said the purpose was to "convey messages directly regarding future negotiations" and that an end to the conflict "will not be achieved through silence."
Neither side suggested the needle had moved. Stubb called the conversation "frank and substantive," while Støre said there were "big differences in views" with Putin. The Kremlin said Putin told the leaders that "a just and lasting peace" would only be possible if Russia's interests were considered, and he repeated what he calls the "root causes" of the conflict, a frequent shorthand for Ukraine's wish to exist as a sovereign state. "A fair long-term peace settlement is possible only if Russia's legal interests are taken into account fully and unconditionally," Putin said. All three parties reportedly agreed to keep their direct phone channel open.
Stubb said the call was prepared in consultation with Ukraine and the United States, following a meeting last week in Oslo between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Nordic leaders and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Zelensky said Stubb and Støre debriefed him afterward and thanked them for their "active support." His foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said the call was "the right approach." The first trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia talks since the start of the year are tentatively planned for early November in Abu Dhabi.
The leaders were careful to say they were not speaking for the continent. "We've not set out to speak on behalf of anyone other than ourselves," Støre said. There was no official EU reaction, and the Danish and Swedish prime ministers said the dialogue was not coordinated with other European leaders. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said, "I think Europe should stick together rather than going solo." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Stubb told him Europe's position on the Abu Dhabi talks was "moderately optimistic."
The call fits a wider shift. Relations between the US and Ukraine's European allies have soured since President Trump agreed to lift some sanctions on Russia, letting Moscow export oil to America. As Washington's position has softened, several European leaders have argued the continent should rebuild direct contacts with the Kremlin. Stubb and Støre are the first European leaders to speak with Putin since French President Emmanuel Macron did so in July 2025. Soon after that, Putin traveled to Alaska for a summit with Trump, and Europeans were further sidelined from peace talks.
Moscow's tone was mixed. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last weekend that having a European negotiator at the table would be "good," and on Tuesday called the talks with the two leaders "very constructive and practical talks with the leaders of two key neighbouring states," while saying Russia did not see them as speaking for Europe.
