In 2024, Finnish President Saarinen promised that if Russian President Putin called him, he would not answer the call. “He (Putin) will use this opportunity to promote himself in Russia, treating Finland as a pawn.”
Today, on October 27th, 2026, Stubb and Prime Minister Stoltenberg of Norway personally called Putin.
Steller told NRK that the originally allocated time for the call was only 20 minutes, but the call actually lasted for an hour and a half.
Despite Studebaker's claim that this discussion was "candid and substantive", Streller admitted, "Our positions are vastly divergent."
Russian President's press secretary Peskov said that the call was initiated by the other party, "This is very positive, and we appreciate it." Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov pointed out that Russia has not yet seen any change in Europe's attitude.
This call also sparked backlash within the EU, with some EU leaders, including Denmark’s Prime Minister Frederiksen, expressing their dissatisfaction.
According to the Russian newspaper 'Messenger', the last time the Norwegian government leader spoke with a Russian leader was in March 2022. For Stubb, this is the first time he has spoken with Putin since taking office in early 2024.
Reuters believes that this call broke with the long-standing practice of Western leaders avoiding direct contact with Russia, attempting to influence the diplomatic process. Previously, U.S. President Trump's support for Russia led to a decline in relations between the U.S. and Ukraine.
On October 20, 2026, local time, in Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Prime Minister Sturh and Finnish President Stubb met. Visual China
On October 27, after a call between leaders of Finland and Norway and Putin, the Norwegian Prime Minister's Office and the Finnish President's Office issued statements with identical content. The statements indicated that this call was a follow-up to the Oslo meeting, and consultations with the Ukrainian side had taken place before the call. On October 20, U.S. Special Envoy Wittkevov and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met in Oslo, Norway, with Stubb and Sterle also participating.
The Norwegian Prime Minister's Office and the Finnish President's Office stated in their statement that Stubb and Stulle conducted a call on the 27th, aiming to promote the end of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the peace and stability of Europe. The purpose of this call was to convey information directly to Putin regarding future negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The statement states that Stubb and Stulle emphasized that Finland and Norway will continue their long-term support for Ukraine. They also stressed that the conflict must end, and negotiations should be resumed.
Stubb pointed out, "We are all neighboring countries of Russia, and the outcome of this conflict will directly affect us as well as the security of Europe as a whole. Ending the conflict requires direct dialogue."
Steller stated that the conflict has caused heavy casualties and material damage, and the "pain and destruction" it brings will affect several generations. "We emphasized the importance of easing the situation during our conversation."
The statement emphasizes that Stubb and Steller, as leaders of their respective countries, participating in the conversation do not represent the entire Europe.
According to Russia Today, Norwegian Foreign Minister Ed said on the 27th that Finland and Norway have no intention of acting as mediators in the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, they support the plan to hold a tripartite meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE. "We don't want to be mediators, but we believe we can make some contributions to the peace process regarding the Ukraine issue."
Finland's Foreign Minister Valtonen stated that Finland supports the peace process led by the United States and has no intention of reestablishing relations with Russia. Finland is committed to supporting Ukraine.
On the 27th, the Kremlin website also released a statement, which stated that based on the talks between Putin and Vytsov, as well as the Oslo meeting, all parties exchanged views on resolving the Ukrainian crisis.
The statement indicates that all parties welcome the news that the United States, Russia, and Ukraine will resume talks in Abu Dhabi in the first and middle part of November.
The statement indicates that Putin assessed the current situation in the conflict zones in Ukraine during the call, and reiterated the root causes of the conflict. Putin emphasized that only by fully and unconditionally considering Russia's legitimate interests can a fair and lasting peace be achieved. Additionally, he pointed out the confrontational policies of the EU and NATO in prolonging the conflict.
The statement said that the three leaders agreed to continue maintaining direct telephone contact in the future.
Putin also mentioned in the call that under the mediation of the US, humanitarian operations have been carried out in the Oreshki area, and the Russian army has imposed a temporary ceasefire in the direction of Kherson.
According to the Russian statement, the conversation also discussed issues related to ensuring security and stability in the Baltic region and Northern Europe. In this regard, Stubb and Ställe once again confirmed the importance of upholding international maritime law and the freedom of navigation.
