Putin calls Nordic leaders after EU rift; trilateral talks set for Abu Dhabi
Finnish and Norwegian officials held a direct line with Moscow on Tuesday, framing the move as a follow-up to earlier diplomatic efforts.
By Daniel Parker ·
Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Tuesday. The call took place from Helsinki and marks the first direct contact between the Russian leader and European heads of state since July 2025. Officials from both Nordic countries stated the objective was to prepare for future negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The initiative follows a series of diplomatic moves in late October. On 20 October, Stubb and Støre met in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Those discussions led to an agreement to resume three-way negotiations that Russia had paused for several months. The next round of these talks is scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi.
Putin characterized current policies by the European Union and NATO as confrontational, arguing that they are extending the conflict. He has long accused European allies of prolonging the war by supplying weapons to Kyiv. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated last weekend that including a European negotiator at the peace table would be beneficial.
Stubb and Støre emphasized their geographic proximity to Russia as a reason for stepping in. They described the Tuesday call as frank and substantive. Stubb noted that the outcome of the war will directly affect security in their countries and across Europe. Støre warned that the destruction and human cost of the conflict will affect generations to come. Their offices clarified that the call was not a representation of Europe as a whole.
Zelensky spoke with Stubb and Støre after their conversation with Putin. He expressed gratitude for their active support and discussed various formats for European engagement in diplomacy and defense. The Ukrainian president confirmed that the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi were a central topic of their discussion.
Not all Nordic leaders share the same optimism. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told broadcaster DR that she is very skeptical of the dialogue. She noted that the call had not been coordinated with other European partners. Tensions between the US, Ukraine, and European allies have increased recently, particularly after US President Donald Trump agreed to lift some sanctions, allowing Russia to export oil to the United States.
Source: BBC News
