Nordic leaders call Putin over Ukraine war
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 27 Oct for 90 minutes. The call was held on their own initiative and was not coordinated with European partners, according to Tagesschau. The leaders urged Putin to end the war in Ukraine, and the Kremlin said Putin blamed EU and NATO confrontational policy for prolonging the fighting. The call came before planned peace talks with Russian, Ukrainian and US officials in Abu Dhabi next month. The three leaders agreed to keep direct phone contact.
Key facts
- Sybiha said he hoped a local ceasefire around the occupied town of Oleshky could lead to other peace steps.
- Stubb said the outcome of the war will directly affect Finnish and wider European security.
- A trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States and Russia is planned in Abu Dhabi after 4 Nov.
- US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner joined the Oslo meeting remotely.
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Why it matters
The call was Putin's first contact with European leaders supporting Ukraine since July 2025, and Denmark's prime minister criticised it.
What changed
First published from RTÉ News, The Straits Times, Meduza, The Moscow Times and Bangkok Post