Finland and Norway leaders hold rare call with Putin on Ukraine

Helsinki — The leaders of Finland and Norway held a joint 90-minute phone call with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, a rare direct contact between the Russian president and European leaders. The conversation, held from Helsinki, was aimed at exploring "future negotiations to help to end the war" in Ukraine, the offices of President Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.

Stubb and Støre stressed they were not acting on behalf of "Europe as a whole", though Støre said all allies had been informed beforehand. Both countries border Russia, and their offices said the call was initiated to discuss what they termed Russia's war of aggression and the diplomatic efforts to end it. Stubb described the exchange as "frank and substantive", while Støre acknowledged it showed "big differences in views".

The Kremlin gave its own account. Putin told the pair that "confrontational" EU and Nato policies were prolonging the war, and that "a just and lasting peace" would only be possible if Russia's interests were considered, the South China Morning Post reported. All three sides agreed to continue direct phone contact.

Not everyone in Europe is enthusiastic. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told broadcaster DR she was "very sceptical", saying the dialogue had not been "co-ordinated with any of the rest of us". Poland's Donald Tusk was more measured, saying Stubb had described Europe's position ahead of upcoming talks in the United Arab Emirates as "moderately optimistic".

The call fits a broader shift. Stubb, Støre and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo last week, before Witkoff travelled on to St Petersburg. Ukraine, Russia and the US have since agreed to resume three-way negotiations Moscow had frozen for months, the BBC reported. Zelensky, who spoke to both Nordic leaders after their call, thanked them for their "active support".

Stubb and Støre are the first European leaders to speak with Putin since Emmanuel Macron's call in July 2025, and several European governments have lately argued for direct channels to the Kremlin as Washington's stance on Russia softens. The next test comes in November, when the trilateral talks convene in Abu Dhabi — the point at which statements about peace will have to become proposals.