Finnish diplomat on Putin's rare phone call with leaders of Finland, Norway over Ukraine war

Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finland's President Alexander Stubb held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 27, 2026, discussing efforts to end the war in Ukraine. This direct communication between Western European leaders and Russia broke from usual diplomatic protocols, sparking mixed reactions across Europe. While some saw it as a positive step towards peace negotiations, others expressed skepticism or outright anger. The call was initiated during a meeting on October 20 between Støre, Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo. Putin later stated that the conversation offered nothing new to resolve the Ukraine conflict but welcomed such active support for diplomatic efforts.