Finland and Norway leaders hold talks with Putin on ending Ukraine war

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held a 90-minute telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

The Nordic leaders described the discussion as “frank and substantive”.

They said the call was held in consultation with Ukraine and stressed the need for direct discussions to achieve peace.

“The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions,” Stubb said in a joint statement with Store.

The call followed a meeting in Oslo on October 20 between the two leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US envoy Steve Witkoff. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also joined remotely. Witkoff later travelled to Saint Petersburg to meet Putin.

Speaking in Helsinki, Store said the call had highlighted “big differences in views” on Ukraine.

According to the Kremlin, Putin blamed the EU and NATO’s “confrontational policy” for prolonging the hostilities. The Kremlin also said the leaders had agreed to maintain direct telephone contact.

The initiative drew criticism from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said it had not been coordinated with other Nordic countries.

“I’m very sceptical about this Norwegian and Finnish initiative. It hasn’t been coordinated with any of the rest of us,” she told reporters.

Store defended the talks, saying European countries should have their own channels of communication with Moscow.

“In the times we live in, it cannot be that only the US administration has a channel to talk to the Russian leadership. European countries must be able to do that as well,” he said.

Stubb said Finland and Norway would continue supporting Ukraine and efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. Both countries are NATO members and share borders with Russia.