By Karim Hammam
European leaders reacted angrily after Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere held a 90-minute call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, breaking a convention of avoiding direct contact with the Kremlin.
Joint call to Putin
Stubb and Stoere said they urged an end to the war in Ukraine and linked the initiative to planned peace talks in Abu Dhabi next month involving Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. officials. The two leaders described the discussion as "frank and substantive" and stressed the importance of de-escalation.
Coordination with Kyiv
After the call with Putin, Stubb and Stoere spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed the contact had been coordinated with Kyiv, calling it "the right approach" and expressing hope that a local ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky could pave the way for further peace steps.
Nordic criticism
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the move, saying she saw no sign Russia wants peace and urging Europe to "stick together rather than going solo." Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said other European leaders were not informed and had low expectations for such conversations. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that "absolute caution and vigilance are necessary in such contacts."
Kremlin response
The Kremlin's readout showed no softening of Moscow's position, stating that a long-term peace is only possible if the "legitimate interests of the Russian Federation are fully and unconditionally taken into account." It also blamed EU and NATO policies for prolonging hostilities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the call offered nothing new and predicted the conflict would likely escalate.
Broader diplomatic context
Western European leaders have largely refused to engage with Putin to isolate him, but recent U.S. peace efforts led by Donald Trump have left them sidelined and uncertain of continued U.S. support.
