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October 31, 2026
from
RT-English Website
Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
© Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto
via Getty
Images
Alexander Stubb has said
it was
important for him
and
Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store
to hear
the Russian leader's stance
on Ukraine
firsthand...
Finnish President
Alexander Stubb has defended
the phone conversation he and Norwegian Prime Minister
Jonas Gahr Store had with
Russian leader
Vladimir Putin earlier this
week following criticism from some Moscow hawks in Europe.
The two Nordic leaders made the rare phone call on Tuesday, with
discussions focusing mainly on
the Ukraine conflict, as well as
security in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.
The conversation followed US special envoy
Steve Witkoff's meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg last week
and subsequent consultations in Oslo involving Stubb, Store, and
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky.
Both Moscow and Kiev have since agreed to take part in a fourth
round of US-mediated trilateral talks that is expected to take place
in Abu Dhabi in November, with European countries excluded from the
peace process, according to the Kremlin.
Appearing on Yle's Ykkosaamu (Morning One) program on
Saturday, Stubb noted that,
Tuesday's call was the first time since
becoming Finland's president that he had spoken with Putin.
Stubb emphasized the importance of hearing
firsthand the Russian leader's view of the root causes of the
Ukraine conflict, describing the direct exchange of opinions as a
"turning point."
Stubb said he and Store,
reopened the "channel of communication" with
Moscow at Kiev's request and relayed Zelensky's
messages to Putin after consultations with US and Ukrainian
representatives.
He emphasized, however, that Helsinki was,
"not acting as any kind of peace mediator
here."
Both Nordic leaders earlier specifically pointed
out that they were not speaking on behalf of Europe.
The Finnish president clarified that aside from the Ukraine
conflict, he and Store brought up the security of their respective
countries, which both share an extensive border with Russia.
Among other things, the two Nordic leaders used the opportunity to
"clear up some misunderstandings" regarding the Baltic Sea,
reaffirming their adherence to international maritime law and the
principle of freedom of navigation.
Stubb defended what he described as,
the "first confidence-building measure" by
noting that "Russia is our neighbor now and will remain our
neighbor in the future," with bilateral relations liable to
resume at one point.
In the wake of their call with Putin, Danish
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accused the two Nordic
leaders of breaking European ranks, claiming the conversation had,
"not been coordinated with the rest of us" -
an objection echoed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Responding to these criticisms, Stubb stressed
that,
he and Store extensively briefed Zelensky and
multiple EU leaders afterward.
Most Western European leaders shunned direct
contact with Moscow after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in
2022 in an attempt to diplomatically isolate Russia.
However, in recent weeks they have mounted an
effort to secure a seat at the negotiation table as Moscow and
Washington ramp up diplomatic work aimed at resolving the conflict.
Commenting on his phone conversation with the two Nordic leaders,
Putin stated on Thursday that Russia supported,
"any steps aimed at restoring full-fledged
and comprehensive relations" with European countries.
"After all, there are people in Europe who, unlike some others,
do not want to inflict a 'strategic defeat' on Russia but
instead want to establish some kind of constructive dialogue,"
the Russian president explained.
He also reiterated that Moscow is not seeking a
broader conflict with the EU or NATO.
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