Nordic Diplomacy: Finland and Norway Call Putin to Discuss Ukraine

A rare direct communication between the Kremlin and Western European capitals took place on Tuesday as Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a joint phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The conversation was centered on potential future negotiations intended to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. Both Nordic leaders emphasized that their initiative was personal and not conducted on behalf of Europe as a whole.

The call was conducted from Helsinki and described by Stubb as frank and substantive. The leaders stated that the war carries enormous human and material costs, with destruction that will impact generations. Stubb noted that the outcome of the conflict will have a direct impact on the security of their nations and the wider European region. The contact was initiated to discuss Russia’s war of aggression and diplomatic efforts to promote stability.

Following the conversation, Putin characterized EU and NATO policies as confrontational, arguing that such stances are prolonging the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with the Nordic leaders after their call. He expressed gratitude for their active support and noted that discussions included the upcoming trilateral talks scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi.

This diplomatic effort follows a meeting held in Oslo last week, where Zelensky met with Stubb, Støre, and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. After that session, the three parties agreed to resume three-way negotiations that had been stalled for months. Witkoff subsequently traveled to St. Petersburg to meet with Putin. The current call serves as a continuation of those discussions.

The move has drawn mixed reactions from other European leaders. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described herself as very skeptical of the dialogue, noting that it was not coordinated with other European nations. She commented on the lack of prior consultation with her peers. Conversely, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated last weekend that having a European negotiator at the peace talks table would be good.

Stubb and Støre are the first European leaders to contact Putin since French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with him in July 2025. The timing coincides with strained relations between the US, Ukraine, and European allies following President Donald Trump’s decision to lift certain sanctions, allowing Russia to export oil to the United States. The Nordic leaders aim to keep diplomatic channels open while the formal trilateral process moves forward.