STUBB AND STØRE DISCUSS UKRAINE WITH PUTIN

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about the war in Ukraine. The leaders’ offices said Finland and Norway initiated the call from Helsinki to discuss diplomatic efforts to end the war. Stubb and Støre said they wanted to convey messages directly about future peace negotiations. Stubb described the discussion as “frank and substantive”, while Støre said they had expressed support for Ukraine. Støre also said there were “big differences in views” with Putin.

Stubb said he and Støre had prepared the call in consultation with Ukraine and the United States. He linked that preparation to a meeting in Oslo last week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Zelensky said the two leaders briefed him afterwards and thanked them for their support. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the call “the right approach”. Støre said he and Stubb had spoken as leaders of countries that border Russia, rather than on behalf of Europe.

The Kremlin said Putin told Stubb and Støre that peace would require consideration of Russia’s interests. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticised the call and said she saw no signs that Russia wanted peace. “I think Europe should stick together rather than going solo,” she said. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said other European leaders had not been informed of the talks. US, Ukrainian and Russian officials have tentatively planned talks in Abu Dhabi for early November, which would be their first since February.