Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre engaged in separate telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as preparations for peace talks gain momentum. These discussions come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.
President Stubb’s office reported that his conversation with President Putin centered on forthcoming meetings scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi. These meetings are expected to feature technical-level discussions involving negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, anticipated in early November. Stubb characterized the dialogue with Putin as frank and substantive, emphasizing that the resolution of the conflict holds significant implications for Finland’s security and the broader European region. He underscored the necessity of direct discourse to bring an end to the hostilities.
Following the call with Putin, President Zelenskyy communicated with both Stubb and Prime Minister Støre. During these exchanges, the Nordic leaders reaffirmed their countries’ enduring support for Ukraine while clarifying that their discussions were not intended to represent a unified stance on behalf of all European nations.
These communications occurred in the wake of recent diplomatic engagements involving the U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with both Zelenskyy and the Nordic leaders in Oslo, and also engaged in talks with Putin in St Petersburg. The Kremlin has expressed a willingness to reengage in peace negotiations with Ukraine, mediated by the United States, with discussions potentially resuming in November. This marks the first possibility of such talks since February.