Stubb, Støre hold phone conversation with Putin

President Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre on Tuesday made a telephone conversation with President of Russia Vladimir Putin, said the Finnish President Office in a press release.

Stubb and Støre initiated the call from Helsinki to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and the diplomatic efforts to end the war and promote peace and stability in Europe as a follow-up of the meeting held in Oslo on 20 October.

The call was related to the upcoming meetings to be held in Abu Dhabi.

“The discussion was frank and substantive. We are neighbouring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions", said Stubb.

"The war comes with enormous human and material costs. The suffering and destruction will impact generations. In the call we stressed the importance of de-escalation", Støre said.

Stubb and Støre emphasized that Finland and Norway will continue their longstanding support for Ukraine. They also emphasized that the war must end and negotiations resume.

Finland and Norway border Russia. They are firm supporters of Ukraine. The aim of the call was to convey messages directly regarding future negotiations to help to end the war to President Putin, said the President Office.

Stubb and Støre took the call as leaders of their respective countries and did not speak on the behalf of Europe as a whole.

Norway and Finland have always promoted peace and security in our region. The two countries have a shared interest in stability and predictability in the Baltic Sea region and the High North. This was highlighted in the call.

News agency Xinhua adds: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen questioned the move, describing it as "a dangerous step that divides Europe."

In an interview with Denmark's TV 2 on Tuesday, Frederiksen said the call "was not coordinated with the rest of us." "I think we should maintain European unity rather than act alone," she said.

Meanwhile, Putin drew attention to the confrontational policy of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, which led to the prolongation of the conflict, the Kremlin said in an official statement.

"It was emphasized that the achievement of a just long-term peace is possible only with full and unconditional consideration of the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation," said the statement.

Issues of ensuring security and stability in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe were also touched upon, the Kremlin said.