The leaders of Finland and Norway phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to urge him to end the war in Ukraine, breaking with a longstanding practice among Western European leaders of shunning direct contact with the Kremlin.
The call by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere was an attempt to influence the diplomatic process after US President Donald Trump shifted his position in favour of Russia and US ties with Ukraine hit their lowest point in 18 months.
Stoere said he and Stubb had spoken to Putin for about 90 minutes, and then to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In a joint statement, they linked the initiative to planned peace discussions between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials in Abu Dhabi next month, their first since February.
Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on how to end the war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and long-range airstrikes by both sides have increased this year while battle lines have remained largely static.
“The discussion (with Putin) was frank and substantive. We are neighbouring countries to Russia. 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.
Stoere said he and Stubb had “stressed the importance of de-escalation.” Both voiced strong support for Ukraine.
In later comments to Finnish journalists, Stubb said all Western allies were consulted on the initiative, adding that Ukraine had sought the opening of a new communications channel and Europe could no longer be a bystander to peace efforts giving Russia “the silent treatment”.
NO SIGN OF KREMLIN COMPROMISE
The Kremlin’s readout of the call did not suggest any softening of Putin’s position.
“It was emphasised that achieving a just and long-term peace is possible only if the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation are fully and unconditionally taken into account,” it said.
“At the same time, attention was drawn to the confrontational policies of EU and NATO countries, which are contributing to the prolongation of the hostilities.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday’s call had offered nothing new on the Ukraine conflict, with an information war likely to escalate, and that European countries were simply seeking a role in the negotiation process.
Western European leaders have mostly refused to talk to Putin, hoping to isolate him. But they have been sidelined in peace efforts led by US President Donald Trump, who is seen in many European capitals as unpredictable and prone to side with Putin at Ukraine’s expense.
That perception has been reinforced by deals this month in which Putin agreed to supply Russian diesel to the United States and Trump eased sanctions on Russia. Ukraine has also complained of disruption to intelligence-sharing by the US and to satellite internet services on which its military relies.
