Finland and Norway leaders hold 90‑minute phone call with Russian president

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre conducted a 90‑minute telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, according to statements from the leaders’ offices. The call, held from Helsinki, was described by Stubb as “frank and substantive” and by Støre as an effort to stress the importance of de‑escalation in the Ukraine conflict.

Both leaders said the discussion was undertaken in their individual capacities as neighbours of Russia, not as representatives of the European Union or other Western governments. Stubb added that the call was prepared after consultations with Ukraine and the United States, following a meeting in Oslo that involved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The leaders indicated that their aim was to convey messages directly to Putin regarding forthcoming diplomatic negotiations, which are slated to take place in Abu Dhabi in early November under U.S. sponsorship. Støre noted that “the war comes with enormous human and material costs” and emphasized the need for dialogue, while acknowledging “big differences in views” with the Russian president.

In response, the Kremlin reported that Putin reiterated his position that a lasting peace would require Russia’s interests to be taken into account and restated what he described as the “root causes” of the conflict. Ukrainian officials later confirmed that they had been briefed by the Nordic leaders after the call and expressed gratitude for the outreach.

The call marks a departure from the usual practice of Western European heads of state avoiding direct contact with Putin. Analysts cited in the reports suggest the move reflects a broader shift among some European leaders to open alternative channels of communication amid stalled peace efforts.