President Alexander Stubb of Finland and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 27, 2026, marking the first such diplomatic contact by Helsinki since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and by Oslo since March 2022, as leaders prepare for upcoming talks in Abu Dhabi.
The phone call between the Nordic leaders and the Kremlin unfolded following consultations with Kyiv, according to official statements released on Tuesday. President Stubb and Prime Minister Støre initiated the conversation directly to address Russia’s war against Ukraine and discuss diplomatic avenues aimed at restoring regional stability.
Both politicians participated strictly in their capacities as national leaders rather than representing Europe as a whole. The diplomatic outreach follows a high-stakes meeting in Oslo on October 20 involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Norwegian and Finnish leadership, and United States representatives including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Moscow Conversations and Direct Dialogue on Ukraine
During the exchange, the Finnish president described the dialogue as direct and substantive, emphasizing that geographic proximity makes the outcome of the conflict a security concern for the region. We are neighbors with Russia. The outcome of this war will directly impact our security and the security of Europe as a whole. Ending the war requires direct negotiations,
President Stubb stated in announcements carried by multiple outlets.
🚨🇷🇺🇫🇮🇳🇴 Putin, Finnish president and Norwegian PM agree to maintain direct contactsRussian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre agreed to continue direct telephone contacts following talks held at the request… pic.twitter.com/xvZ2T1tOPR
Prime Minister Støre stressed the severe human toll of the ongoing conflict and underscored the urgent necessity of de-escalation. In response, the Kremlin detailed Vladimir Putin’s perspective on the battlefield situation. According to the Russian administration, the president reiterated the initial causes of the conflict and asserted that a durable peace requires full consideration of Russia’s security interests while criticizing the confrontational policies maintained by NATO and European Union member states.
President Stubb said that the discussion was frank and businesslike, telling The Insider, The discussion was frank and businesslike. We are Russia’s neighbors. How the war ends will impact the security of Finland and Norway, and more broadly, the security of all of Europe. A direct dialogue is necessary to end the war.
Putin Reports Humanitarian Operation in Kherson Region
Beyond the overarching framework of the Ukrainian conflict, the leaders touched upon specific humanitarian developments and maritime safety. President Putin informed his Nordic counterparts about a newly initiated humanitarian operation in the area of Oleshky in the Kherson region, which involves American mediation and an accompanying temporary ceasefire on the Kherson direction implemented on October 27.
The conversation also addressed stability in the Baltic Sea and the High North. Both Nordic heads of government highlighted the critical importance of adhering to international maritime law and safeguarding the freedom of navigation across these sensitive northern waters.
Diplomatic Outreach Prepares for Abu Dhabi Security Discussions
The diplomatic outreach serves as a direct preparatory step for upcoming multilateral discussions scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi. These sessions will bring together delegations from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States to evaluate potential frameworks for post-conflict security.
The diplomatic sequence leading up to the phone call began with the October 20 meetings in Oslo, followed closely by Steve Witkoff’s discussions with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on October 21. Following those exchanges, Moscow signaled readiness to resume trilateral consultations, while the European Union has actively debated establishing a direct diplomatic representative to ensure continental interests remain represented as Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow prepare for the next phase of talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for phone talks with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to discuss the prospects for a peace deal in Ukraine https://t.co/4J1xB1LEOO
❗️ Key points from the Kremlin’s statement regarding a conversation between the President of Russia and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, and the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre:🟥 Vladimir Putin provided an assessment of the current situation in the… pic.twitter.com/QFv15iQVSv