On Oct. 27, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a telephone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine. During the call, President Stubb delivered two direct messages from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding bilateral peace efforts and de-escalation measures.
Messages Delivered on Territorial Questions and De-Escalation
President Stubb stated on Yle that he acted at President Zelensky’s request to pass on two specific communications. First, the Ukrainian leader requested a bilateral discussion with the Russian leader to address territorial questions and security. Second, the conversation covered proposed de-escalation measures aimed at achieving a truce on key issues, including energy infrastructure, food security, prisoner exchanges, and general infrastructure.
The Finnish president and the Norwegian prime minister also used the call to ask about Russia’s preparations for upcoming three-party talks in Abu Dhabi. According to Stubb, the conversation served as a step toward building trust rather than a concrete guarantee of peace. Both leaders additionally raised concerns regarding the operations of the Russian shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea.
Did You Know? The Oct. 27 phone call marked the first direct contact between the Russian leader and European leaders who support Ukraine since a July 2025 conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Ukrainian officials confirm coordination of the call
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed in an interview published on Oct. 28 by Helsingin Sanomat that the call was coordinated with Kyiv as part of a joint effort to accelerate peace channels. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry representative Georgiy Tyhiy noted on Oct. 30 that the outreach originated from a meeting in Oslo attended by President Zelensky and American representative Steve Witkoff. Tyhiy emphasized that Kyiv opposes uncoordinated, independent calls, stating that direct talks without prior clearance do not yield results.
Meanwhile, other European leaders offered sharply different assessments. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the diplomatic contact, arguing that Russia shows no signs of readiness for a peaceful settlement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later reiterated on Oct. 31 that President Zelensky must travel directly to Moscow for any face-to-face negotiations.
Dispute Over Content and Alternative Formats
Following the call, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre sought to have Financial Times correct a report claiming Vladimir Putin lectured European leaders on medieval Slavic history during the conversation. Støre stated that the report was false and that Putin actually discussed the situation in Europe from 2014 to the present, though the newspaper rejected the request. Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Litvin cautioned that Russian suggestions for a phone call between Zelensky and Putin or a trip to Moscow may be an attempt to bypass necessary three-party leadership formats.
President Stubb discusses future relations with Russia
President Stubb noted that future relations between Finland and Russia will look entirely different from historical ties. Conditional discussions regarding prisoner exchanges, infrastructure protection, and the Abu Dhabi negotiations could shape subsequent diplomatic engagements.
President Stubb delivers messages from President Zelensky
What specific messages did President Stubb deliver to Vladimir Putin?
President Stubb delivered two messages from President Zelensky: a request for a bilateral meeting between the leaders to discuss territorial questions and security, and proposed de-escalation measures targeting energy infrastructure, food security, prisoner exchanges, and general infrastructure.
How did the Ukrainian government view the phone call with Moscow?
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that the call was coordinated with Kyiv following a meeting in Oslo and described it as a step forward in peace efforts, while emphasizing that uncoordinated calls without Ukrainian consultation are unhelpful.
What did Russian officials say regarding future meetings?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that President Zelensky must travel personally to Moscow if he wishes to meet with Vladimir Putin, asserting that full security guarantees would be provided in the Russian capital.
How might regional security and maritime policy in the Baltic Sea evolve following these diplomatic exchanges?
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