Finland, Norway phone Putin in rare European break

For the first time since last year, a leader of a Kyiv-supporting European country has phoned Vladimir Putin directly. The call came days before Russia, Ukraine and the United States are due to meet in Abu Dhabi.

Why Helsinki and Oslo picked up the phone

Stubb described the discussion as frank and substantive. Finland and Norway are neighbours of Russia, he said, so the outcome of the war will have a direct impact on their security and on broader European security, and ending the war requires direct discussions. Støre said the two leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation, and both voiced strong support for Ukraine. The timing matters. The call came as US President Donald Trump shifted his position in favour of Russia and US ties with Ukraine hit their lowest point in 18 months, leaving European capitals feeling sidelined in US-led peace efforts. That perception was reinforced by deals this month in which Putin agreed to supply Russian diesel to the United States and Trump eased sanctions on Russia, while Ukraine complained of disruption to US intelligence-sharing and to satellite internet services its military relies on. In a joint statement, the two leaders linked their initiative to planned peace discussions between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials in Abu Dhabi in early November, the first trilateral Russia-Ukraine-US format since February. Stubb later told Finnish journalists that all Western allies were consulted on the initiative, that Ukraine had sought the opening of a new communications channel, and that Europe could no longer be a bystander giving Russia "the silent treatment". The Finnish presidency confirmed the call was organised in consultation with Ukraine and followed a meeting in Oslo on 20 October.

What Moscow said back

The Kremlin readout stated that achieving a just and long-term peace is possible only if the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation are fully and unconditionally taken into account. It also drew attention to what it called the confrontational policies of EU and NATO countries, which it said are contributing to the prolongation of hostilities. The readout did not suggest any softening of Putin's position. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the call had offered nothing new on the Ukraine conflict, with an information war likely to escalate, and that European countries were simply seeking a role in the negotiation process.

Side	Position stated after the call
Helsinki and Oslo	End the war through direct discussion; de-escalation; strong support for Ukraine
Kyiv	Call coordinated with Kyiv and "the right approach"; hope for a local Oleshky ceasefire
Kremlin readout	Peace only if Russia's interests are fully taken into account; EU and NATO blamed

Europe split over the move

The call exposed a disagreement inside Europe about how to handle Moscow. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she saw no signs that Russia wanted peace, adding that Europe should stick together rather than going solo. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he had quite low expectations for this type of conversation. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had told Stubb and Støre that absolute caution and vigilance are necessary in such contacts. Informing partners that a call will happen is not the same as agreeing its objectives together, and the reporting leaves that distinction unresolved: Stubb said all allies were consulted, Støre said all partners were informed in advance, Frederiksen said the initiative had not been coordinated with the rest, and one report says Kristersson was looped in shortly before the call. Stubb and Støre said they acted as leaders of their respective countries and not on behalf of Europe. Austrian analyst Gerhard Mangott read the call as an effort to establish a channel for dialogue after European governments had, in his words, manoeuvred themselves into a dead end. He also pointed to remarks by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on Sunday suggesting Europe should be part of discussions, which he interpreted as a shift, since Moscow had previously rejected discussing a settlement with Europeans.

What happens next

The next dated event is the Abu Dhabi round in early November, the first Russia-Ukraine-US format since February. What to watch there is whether Russia modifies any of its stated demands, whether Ukraine receives credible security assurances, and whether European governments can coordinate a common position after this week's split. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also raised a smaller, nearer possibility: a local ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky that could pave the way to further steps in the peace process. Until Abu Dhabi, the call stands as a channel reopened, not a position changed. The Kremlin readout gave no ground, the European reaction split, and the war itself, which began with Russia's invasion in February 2022, continues with battle lines largely static and long-range strikes by both sides increasing this year. 📷 Illustration: AI-generated