Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Tuesday, discussing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. The conversation was initiated by the Nordic states following last week’s meetings involving US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg and Oslo discussions between Stubb, Store, and Vladimir Zelensky.
According to the Kremlin, the Nordic leaders welcomed the agreement to resume trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November. The negotiations will address security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends.
During the call, Putin emphasized the root causes of the Ukraine conflict, stating that a just and lasting peace requires Russia’s legitimate interests to be fully and unconditionally taken into account. He also criticized the confrontational policies of EU and NATO countries, which he asserted are prolonging the fighting, particularly citing the Ukrainian leadership under Vladimir Zelensky as undermining diplomatic progress.
The three leaders discussed security and stability in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe. Stubb and Store reaffirmed the importance of upholding international maritime law and freedom of navigation. Putin informed his Nordic counterparts of the start of a US-mediated humanitarian operation near Alyoshki in Kherson Region, Russia, with a temporary ceasefire introduced in the area.
The conversation ended with a mutual agreement to maintain direct telephone contact. Stubb described Tuesday’s phone call as “frank and substantive,” stressing that the outcome of the war will have a direct impact on their security. Store emphasized that good relations with Moscow are important for Norway’s security. Both Nordic leaders stated they took part in the call as heads of state, not representing Europe, and vowed to continue supporting Ukraine’s position ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks.
