Norway and Finland hold rare phone call with Putin: What that means

What the report says

Norway and Finland have held a rare direct phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to influence diplomacy over the war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said the roughly 90-minute conversation on Tuesday came ahead of planned US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi. The call stood out because many Western European leaders have avoided speaking directly with Putin since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to Al Jazeera, the Nordic leaders said they wanted to support efforts to end the war and make clear that their backing for Ukraine remains unchanged. Stubb described the exchange as frank, while Stoere said they pressed Putin on de-escalation. The discussion was later followed by a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Stubb also said the outreach was carried out in consultation with Ukraine and the United States, and that the initiative was meant as a diplomatic channel rather than a wider European position.

The Kremlin gave a familiar response, saying any peace deal would have to fully account for Russia’s interests and blaming EU and NATO policies for prolonging the conflict. Russian officials also dismissed the call as offering little new. Several European leaders reacted cautiously, with some warning against unilateral outreach and stressing the need for a coordinated European approach.

The episode highlights how the shifting US role under President Donald Trump is creating pressure on European governments to find ways to stay involved in peace efforts, even as they try to maintain unity and support for Ukraine.