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Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin about Russia’s war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end it, the Finnish president’s office said. The office said the leaders intended to convey Ukraine’s position on planned peace talks in Abu Dhabi; details of the call and Putin’s response were not disclosed.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Russia’s war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end it, the Finnish president’s office said. The office said the leaders wanted to convey Ukraine’s position on upcoming peace talks planned for Abu Dhabi, placing the call within a renewed series of diplomatic contacts involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.
The Finnish president’s office described the call as a follow-up to a meeting in Oslo on October 20. It said Stubb and Støre initiated the conversation to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and efforts to reach peace and promote stability in Europe. The statement did not provide a transcript or detail what either leader told Putin beyond the stated purpose of conveying Ukraine’s position.
The office identified the subject of that message as upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi. A new trilateral meeting involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine had been agreed after a series of recent contacts, according to the report. It is expected to take place after November 4, the date of the U.S. midterm elections. No specific meeting day was given.
The October 20 Oslo meeting included U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Stubb, the report said. Witkoff subsequently traveled to St. Petersburg for a meeting with Putin, then returned to Oslo before flying to the United States. The Finnish office’s account frames the leaders’ call as connected to those contacts, but does not say whether Putin agreed with the position conveyed or whether the call produced any commitments.
A European Channel Into Talks
The call gives two European leaders direct contact with Putin as preparations continue for a proposed meeting among Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Its stated focus—conveying Ukraine’s position—may help communicate Kyiv’s views to Moscow ahead of negotiations, though the available account does not describe the substance of those views or establish that the call changed either side’s position.
The diplomatic activity also comes as European governments consider how to be represented in efforts to end the war. The report said European countries had begun looking for a representative who could participate on behalf of the European Union. Stubb and Støre were among names reported as possible candidates, alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Czech President Petr Pavel and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Those names were reported as possibilities, not as an agreed appointment.
For Ukraine and its partners, the distinction between contact and progress remains important. A phone call can provide a channel for communication, but the Finnish statement offers no evidence of an agreement, a change in battlefield conditions or a settlement. The practical significance will depend on what is discussed at the planned Abu Dhabi meeting and whether the parties can make decisions there.
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From Oslo to Abu Dhabi
The latest call followed an October 20 meeting in Oslo involving Witkoff, Zelensky and Stubb. Afterward, Witkoff went to St. Petersburg to meet Putin, then returned to Oslo. The report says these contacts preceded agreement to hold another trilateral meeting, this time involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine.
The proposed meeting is expected after November 4 in Abu Dhabi, but the report gives no confirmed date. The diplomatic sequence matters because it connects discussions in Oslo and St. Petersburg with a possible next round involving all three countries directly. It does not, on its own, establish the terms or agenda of that meeting.
Separately, European governments were reported to be considering who might represent the EU in the process. The Telegraph named Stubb and Støre among potential candidates, along with Meloni, Czech President Petr Pavel and Frederiksen. No representative had been confirmed in the material available for this report.
“The call was “a follow-up of the meeting in Oslo on 20 October.””
— The Finnish president’s office
Call Details Still Undisclosed
The Finnish president’s office did not publish a transcript, specify how long the call lasted or describe Putin’s response. The substance of Ukraine’s position, as conveyed during the conversation, is also not included in the report. It is not clear whether the leaders discussed possible terms, conditions for negotiations or any specific steps toward a ceasefire.
The date and agenda for the planned Abu Dhabi meeting remain unconfirmed in the source material. While the meeting is expected after November 4, there is no stated schedule, agreed negotiating framework or confirmation of which officials will attend. The possible EU representative also remains undecided. The call’s outcome should not be treated as evidence of an agreement or of a change in either side’s position.
Abu Dhabi Meeting Awaits Scheduling
The next reported milestone is the proposed trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi after November 4. The parties would need to confirm its date, participants and agenda. The available information does not say when those details will be announced.
European governments may also continue discussions about whether an EU representative will take part and who that person might be. Until an appointment or further statements are made, the candidates named in media reports remain possibilities rather than confirmed participants. Further official accounts from Finland, Norway, Russia, Ukraine or the United States could clarify what was conveyed in the call and whether it leads to additional diplomatic steps.
Key Questions
Who spoke with Vladimir Putin?
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Putin by phone, according to the Finnish president’s office.
Why did they call Putin?
The Finnish office said the leaders discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end it. It said they aimed to convey Ukraine’s position on planned peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
When are the Abu Dhabi talks expected?
The report says a trilateral meeting involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine is expected after November 4, 2026. No specific date was provided.
Did the phone call produce an agreement?
No agreement or commitment from the call was reported. The Finnish office did not disclose Putin’s response or provide a transcript, so the outcome beyond the stated discussion is unclear.
Has the EU chosen a representative for the talks?
No confirmed representative was identified in the source material. Stubb, Støre and other European leaders were reported as possible candidates, but no appointment was announced.
Source: meduza.io
