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Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin about Russia’s war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end it, Finland’s president’s office said. The office said they conveyed Ukraine’s position ahead of a planned Russia-U.S.-Ukraine meeting in Abu Dhabi after November 4; details of the call and any response from Putin were not disclosed.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Russia’s war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end it, Finland’s president’s office said. The office said the leaders called to convey Ukraine’s position ahead of planned peace talks in Abu Dhabi, putting two Nordic leaders in direct contact with Moscow as preparations continue for a proposed meeting involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine.
Finland’s president’s office described the call as a follow-up to a meeting in Oslo on October 20. It said Stubb and Støre initiated the conversation to discuss what it called Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, along with efforts to end the conflict and promote peace and stability in Europe. The office said the call’s purpose was to convey Ukraine’s position on the upcoming peace talks directly to Putin.
The statement did not provide a transcript, identify the specific points conveyed on Ukraine’s behalf, or describe Putin’s response. It also did not say whether the call produced any agreement or commitment. The account of the conversation available in the report comes from the Finnish president’s office; no separate account from the Kremlin was included.
The planned talks are expected to bring together Russia, the United States and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi after November 4, according to the report. The timing places the proposed meeting after the U.S. midterm elections. The call by Stubb and Støre is a diplomatic contact ahead of that meeting, not confirmation that an agreement to end the war has been reached.
Nordic Leaders Enter Peace Diplomacy
The call matters because it adds Finnish and Norwegian leaders to diplomatic efforts surrounding a possible new round of negotiations. The Finnish president’s office said they aimed to communicate Ukraine’s position directly to Putin, linking the conversation to the terms and issues that may be discussed in Abu Dhabi.
Whether that contact affects the prospects for talks is not yet known. The call does, however, show that discussion of the proposed meeting is extending beyond the direct parties. European governments have also been considering how the European Union could be represented in any future diplomatic process, though there is no confirmed appointment or agreed role described in the report.
For Ukraine and its partners, the key test will be whether the planned meeting takes place and whether it produces substantive discussion. The phone call itself does not establish that Russia has accepted Ukraine’s position or that the parties are closer to a settlement.
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From Oslo Meeting to Abu Dhabi
The phone call followed an October 20 meeting in Oslo attended by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Stubb. The report says Witkoff then traveled to St. Petersburg, where he met Putin, before returning to Oslo and later flying to the United States.
After those discussions, the parties agreed to hold a further trilateral meeting involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine, according to the report. It is expected in Abu Dhabi after November 4. The account does not specify an exact date, a confirmed agenda, or which officials will attend.
As diplomatic activity resumed, European countries began considering who might represent the EU, the report said, citing The Telegraph’s list of possible candidates. That list included Stubb, Støre, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Czech President Petr Pavel and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. These were reported as possible candidates, not as confirmed selections.
“The call was “a follow-up of the meeting in Oslo on 20 October.””
— Finland’s president’s office
Call Details and Negotiation Terms
The Finnish statement did not disclose what Ukraine’s position included, how Putin responded, or whether the leaders discussed specific ceasefire terms, security arrangements or other conditions. No transcript or detailed readout was provided in the source account, and it is not clear whether Russia, Ukraine or the United States has separately confirmed the proposed meeting’s agenda and attendance.
The Abu Dhabi meeting is described as planned for after November 4, rather than on a confirmed date. The report also does not establish that any EU representative has been selected. The outcome of the phone call and whether it will influence negotiations remain unknown.
Abu Dhabi Talks Await Confirmation
The next reported milestone is the proposed Russia-U.S.-Ukraine meeting in Abu Dhabi after November 4. Further announcements could clarify the date, participants and agenda. Until then, the call is evidence of diplomatic contact, not a confirmed breakthrough or agreement to end the war.
Readers will also be watching for fuller statements from the governments involved, including whether the Kremlin responds publicly and whether European countries settle on a role for an EU representative. The source report does not give a timetable for those decisions.
Key Questions
Who spoke with Vladimir Putin?
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Putin by phone, according to Finland’s president’s office.
Why did Stubb and Støre call Putin?
The Finnish president’s office said they discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end it. It said their purpose was to convey Ukraine’s position ahead of planned Abu Dhabi peace talks.
When are the proposed Abu Dhabi talks?
The report says a Russia-U.S.-Ukraine meeting is planned for after November 4, 2026. It does not give a specific date.
Did the phone call produce an agreement?
No agreement was reported. The Finnish statement did not provide details of Putin’s response or say that the call resulted in a commitment or breakthrough.
Has the European Union chosen a representative for the talks?
No selection was confirmed in the report. It said European countries were looking for a possible representative and cited several leaders as candidates reported by The Telegraph.
Source: meduza.io
