90-Minute Ukraine Peace Call to Putin Ends With Russia's Lavrov Saying Finland and Norway Offered Nothing New

Finland and Norway tried to find a path to end the war in Ukraine through a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed the call on social media, where they also reiterated their support for Ukraine.

'We held the conversation in our capacity as leaders of our respective countries, not as representatives of Europe,' Stubb said on X. 'It is important for Finland and Norway, as neighbouring countries of Russia, to engage in discussions with Russia based on our own perspectives and principles.'

Kremlin's Reaction

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov was asked about the phone call, which reportedly lasted around 90 minutes. He criticised the two countries for inserting themselves in negotiations.

'I haven't yet seen the actual transcript of the conversation, but apparently nothing new was said there either,' Lavrov said in an interview. Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Sergeyevich Peskov, also said something similar.

The Kremlin also released a statement about the conversation, saying there had been an exchange of views on resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

Stubb and Støre did not share detailed accounts of their conversation with Putin. 'Our objective is to promote a just and lasting peace,' Stubb said. 'Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine must be brought to an end. Everyone is suffering from its consequences, and no military solution is in sight.'

Finland and Norway Also Call Zelenskyy

After the call with Putin, the Finnish and Norwegian leaders also called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Støre shared on X: 'We discussed our call earlier today with President Putin. Norway and Finland will continue our support to Ukraine, and the efforts to ensure a just and lasting peace.'

While Stubb and Støre did not disclose all the details of their call with Putin, Zelenskyy shared further information. The Ukrainian leader said the Nordic leaders called for de-escalation steps focused on the energy sector and infrastructure.

'Finland and Norway, as countries bordering Russia, have a particular interest in sound and reliable security arrangements. We also discussed various formats for our engagement with partners in Europe that could be useful for further supporting diplomacy, our defence, and our shared security,' Zelenskyy said.

Why Is Denmark Unhappy About the Calls?

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed scepticism about the decision by Stubb and Støre to reach out to Putin. She questioned what the two countries hoped to achieve and stressed the importance of European unity. 'It is important that Europeans stand together,' Frederiksen said, according to reports of her remarks.

However, Stubb defended the decision in his social media post: 'The outcome of the war will have a direct impact on the security of Finland and Norway and, more broadly, on the security of Europe as a whole. At this stage, peace will not be achieved by avoiding dialogue; ending the war requires direct discussions. This is in Finland's interest.'

Responding to the criticism, Støre defended the decision to speak directly with Putin: 'We've not set out to speak on behalf of anyone other than ourselves. Norway is a neighbour of Russia. We share a large maritime area. We need to manage fisheries and maintain good neighbourly relations that ensure our security.'