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Finland and Norway Hold Direct Call With Putin, Prompting Criticism From Denmark
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Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, urging him to end the war in Ukraine and breaking with the recent practice of most Western European leaders avoiding direct contact with the Kremlin, Reuters reported on October 27.
The two Nordic leaders spoke with Putin before holding a separate call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a Zelenskyy aide cited by Reuters.
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“The discussion with Putin was frank and substantive. We are neighbouring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions,” Stubb stated in a joint statement with Støre.
Støre emphasized the human and material cost of the war and noted that both leaders pressed for de-escalation. Finland and Norway also reaffirmed that their support for Ukraine would continue.
The Kremlin’s account of the conversation gave no indication that Putin had softened Russia’s existing demands, Reuters reported.
The Kremlin stated that a “just and long-term peace” would require Russia’s interests to be “fully and unconditionally” taken into account. It also accused EU and NATO countries of prolonging the fighting through what it described as confrontational policies.
A source close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin reiterated Russia’s demand to capture the entirety of Ukraine’s Donbas region. Stubb and Støre responded that any settlement would need to produce a “just” peace, according to the source.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the decision by Finland and Norway to contact Putin directly, arguing that European countries should remain coordinated.
“I think Europe should stick together rather than going solo,” Frederiksen told Danish public broadcaster DR, while noting that she saw no sign that Russia wanted peace.
Stubb and Støre stressed that they had spoken as national leaders rather than on behalf of Europe as a whole.
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Western European leaders have largely avoided direct calls with Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while increasing sanctions and military support for Kyiv.
Reuters reported that French President Emmanuel Macron was the last EU leader to speak with Putin by phone before the latest Nordic call. That conversation took place in July and produced no result, according to a source close to the Kremlin.
The call followed growing debate in Europe over who could serve as a direct channel to the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, during negotiations over Ukraine. UNITED24 Media reported days earlier that European governments were considering appointing a representative to speak with Putin, with Finnish President Alexander Stubb among the names discussed.
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