Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 27 October. The sides discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to bring it to an end.
This was reported by the Office of the President of Finland.
The call followed a meeting between the leaders in Oslo, Norway, on 20 October. While preparing for the phone talks, Finland and Norway consulted with Ukraine.
Stubb and Støre initiated the call to discuss ways to stop the war and ensure peace and stability in Europe. One of the aims was to convey directly to Putin Ukraine’s messages regarding the upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
The Finnish President’s Office stressed that Stubb and Støre took part in the call as leaders of their respective countries, not as representatives of Europe.
During the talks, the leaders also underlined that Finland and Norway remain consistent supporters of Ukraine and will continue to back it. They emphasised the need to end the war and to keep the negotiating process going.
“The conversation was direct and substantive. We are neighbours of Russia. How the war ends will affect the security of Finland, Norway and Europe as a whole. Ending the war requires direct negotiations,” Stubb said.
Støre, for his part, highlighted the humanitarian consequences of Russia’s war and the importance of de-escalation.
“The war is causing enormous human suffering and costs. It will leave its mark on several generations. During the phone call, we stressed the importance of de-escalation,” the Norwegian prime minister said.
The call was conducted from Helsinki.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told journalists that after the call with Putin, Stubb and Støre contacted Volodymyr Zelenskyy to share details.
Bloomberg previously reported that Stubb and Støre were preparing for a phone call with Putin about prospects for a peace settlement to the war in Ukraine. According to the outlet, the initiative came amid intensified diplomatic efforts, including after a meeting between US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin in St Petersburg. Finland and Norway are seeking to join discussions on Europe’s future security, pointing to their proximity to Russia and their support for Ukraine.
- An agreement on a trilateral meeting at the level of technical teams was reached during a visit by US negotiator Steve Witkoff to St Petersburg last week. The proposal to resume trilateral talks was conveyed by Ukraine. Witkoff took this proposal to Russia, and following the talks Moscow signalled its readiness.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia could take place in Abu Dhabi in early November. He said a specific date has not yet been set, and Europe’s participation in this format is not envisaged. Peskov also noted that Vladimir Putin had instructed the Russian delegation to discuss security issues for Russia and Ukraine for the period after the start of a settlement to the war.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed that trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia at the team level could take place in the first half of November. He said the Ukrainian side is ready to meet on any day, but the decision depends on Russia’s position. Zelenskyy noted that the talks require US involvement and pressure, and that the next step should be moving from technical consultations to a direct meeting of national leaders.