In a significant diplomatic development, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 27, urging progress towards ending the war in Ukraine. The discussion lasted approximately 90 minutes and marked an unusual direct engagement by Western European leaders with the Kremlin. The initiative comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to find a path towards negotiations after years of conflict.
During the conversation, the Finnish and Norwegian leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation and a peaceful settlement, highlighting the war’s consequences for European security. They subsequently spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who welcomed the diplomatic initiative. The discussions also come ahead of planned talks involving Russian, Ukrainian and US representatives in Abu Dhabi next month, potentially creating another opportunity for dialogue between the sides.
However, the conversation did not indicate an immediate breakthrough. The Kremlin maintained that a lasting peace would require Russia’s interests to be fully considered, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the discussions as offering nothing new. Ukraine and its European partners continue to emphasise the need for meaningful negotiations and concrete steps towards de-escalation. Whether this diplomatic outreach can lead to progress remains uncertain as disagreements over territory, security and the terms of a settlement continue.