Finnish, Norwegian Leaders Call Putin Ahead of Ukraine Peace Talks

Oct. 27, 2026 Jonas Gahr Støre, Alexander Stubb and Vladimir Putin. REUTERS / Aleksandra Szmigiel; NTB / Cornelius Poppe / via REUTERS; kremlin.ru Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, during which the three leaders discussed ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Moscow confirmed the call shortly after officials in Helsinki and Oslo released statements about the conversation, which marks the first time the leader of one of Ukraine’s European allies spoke to Putin since French President Emmanuel Macron’s phone call with the Kremlin chief in July 2025. Stubb’s office said he and Støre initiated the call in order to “discuss Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the diplomatic efforts to end the war and promote peace and stability in Europe.” It said the aim of the outreach, held in consultation with Ukraine, was “to convey messages directly regarding future negotiations to help to end the war to President Putin,” adding that it was also “related to the upcoming meetings to be held in Abu Dhabi.” Both Finland and Norway said their leaders were speaking as representatives of their respective countries and did not speak on behalf of Europe as a whole. “In the call we stressed the importance of de-escalation,” Støre’s office said in its statement about the call with Putin. The Kremlin did not immediately release its own detailed account of the discussion with Stubb and Støre, who met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo last week. Witkoff later met with Putin in St. Petersburg to report on progress in efforts to end the Ukraine war. The Kremlin said it is willing to resume U.S.-mediated peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi as soon as next month. Read more about: Putin , Norway , Finland , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Feature Kremlin Brings ‘Party of War’ to Heel Ahead of Key Regional, Presidential Elections The Kremlin seeks to deploy the same tactics it used to crush the opposition against prominent far-right “patriots,” Russian officials told The Moscow... 4 Min read Russia Says Repelled Drone Attacks Over Crimea The Russian defense ministry said air defense shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles and electronically disabled five others. 1 Min read Erdogan Says Putin Agreed to Grain Deal Extension Putin has repeatedly threatened not to renew the crucial deal allowing for the export of Ukrainian grain because of obstacles to Russia's own exports... 2 Min read Putin Visits Russian Troops, Claims 'Moral Rightness' in New Year Address Updates with Zelensky's comments and color from Moscow and recasts throughout. MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin said in his televised New Year's...