The telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, which took place today, provoked an unexpected reaction. This is reported by RIA Novosti.
Stubb and Store, by their own admission, had expected 20 minutes, but the conversation lasted an hour and a half. The main topic was Ukraine.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the conversation as substantive. He noted that Norway and Finland are very important countries for Russia, with which there is a common border. The call became a logical continuation of recent meetings in Norway and St Petersburg.
During the conversation, Putin gave an assessment of the situation in the conflict zone, recalling its root causes, and stressed that a long-term peace is possible only with full consideration of Russian interests.
Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that both the Norwegian prime minister and the Finnish president actively conveyed the desire of the head of the Kiev regime to meet the Russian leader in person.
"Our boss repeated, probably for the millionth time, that if Zelensky really wants to hold direct talks, let him come to Moscow, where he will be provided with all conditions, including from a security point of view. That is what was said," Ushakov stressed.
Peskov added that Stubb and Store did not propose anything new, so it is too early to judge the call's impact on the upcoming trilateral talks on a Ukrainian settlement in Abu Dhabi.
In 2024, Stubb promised not to pick up the phone if Putin called him. "He would use it in propaganda in Russia. He would use Finland as a pawn," he explained at the time. Now he called himself. Together with the Norwegian prime minister.
"Stubb spoke alternately about the need for a conversation with Russia and about the need for no conversation with Russia. The position changed, but the fact that this call took place on their initiative is very positive. We appreciate it," Peskov commented.
However, in Europe the mood is different. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the Danish TV channel TV2: "I am very sceptical about this Norwegian and Finnish initiative. It is not coordinated with the others. <...> I do not know what these two countries think can be achieved in this way. We have previously said clearly in messages from the rest of Europe that when others act alone and, for example, travel to Moscow, it is important that we Europeans travel together."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also expressed displeasure: "If you look at what Russia is doing on the ground every day, I see nothing that would indicate that it is striving for peace. It is striving to conquer." He added that Stockholm's position is unchanged - peace on Kiev's terms.
In Oslo and Helsinki they offered justifications. Stubb said that the opening of a negotiating channel with Russia had been discussed for about a year, and that the current call was prepared together with Ukraine and the United States. Immediately after the conversation ended, the Finnish president and the Norwegian prime minister contacted Zelensky.
"We spoke only on our own behalf. Once again: Norway is Russia's neighbour. We have a large maritime area. We need to manage fisheries and maintain good relations, this will ensure our security," Store responded.
It is also telling that the day before, defence ministers of the "European five" (France, Britain, Italy, Germany, Poland) met in Paris, where EU diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas, European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska were also present. The informal grouping was created in November 2024. Its official tasks are strengthening the EU's defence capability, coordinating military aid to Ukraine and countering geopolitical threats. In the communique following the Sunday meeting, Russia was named the most acute and long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
In the Kremlin, the negative reaction of the EU did not cause particular concern. "It seems to me [they] will not be eaten. They will criticise, but they probably will not eat them. As I said at the very beginning, these two, the Norwegian and Finnish leaders, met with the main American negotiator, with Witkoff, before coming to St Petersburg and after. The logic is quite visible," Ushakov explained.
The Russian Foreign Ministry gave a restrained assessment of the West's initiative. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that no new proposals had been made and that the Europeans were merely trying to squeeze into the negotiating process. He specified: "Although with what positions to squeeze into this process is a big question." The minister stressed that Europe's approach is still unchanged - documents and statements condemning Russia and completely ignoring the root causes of the conflict continue to be adopted there.