Finnish, Norwegian leaders speak with Putin, call talks 'frank and substantive'

Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone. The Associated Press, Le Monde and the South China Morning Post all reported the call.

According to the South China Morning Post and Le Monde, the two Nordic leaders described the talks as "frank and substantive".

According to the South China Morning Post, the call took place on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, and concerned efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The newspaper reported that Stubb and Store issued a joint statement about the call.

The South China Morning Post said the joint statement linked the call to an earlier meeting in Oslo on 20 October 2026. Store, Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US envoy Steve Witkoff attended that meeting, according to the newspaper.

According to Le Monde, Kyiv announced shortly after the call that Zelensky had spoken with the two Nordic leaders about their conversation with Putin.

What each side says

• Stubb and Store: The South China Morning Post quoted Stubb, in a joint statement with Store, as saying: "The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions." The newspaper also reported that the statement said the call was "held in consultation with Ukraine".
• Putin: According to the South China Morning Post, Putin criticised EU and NATO countries during the call. The newspaper's subheadline said he called their policy "confrontational" and said it was prolonging the war in Ukraine. The newspaper does not cite a Kremlin statement for this account.
• Ukraine: According to Le Monde, the Ukrainian government announced that Zelensky had spoken with the Finnish and Norwegian leaders about their call with Putin.

What the reports do not include

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include a Kremlin readout or any direct statement from Putin. They do not describe specific proposals, ceasefire terms or follow-up steps. They do not say who initiated the call, how long it lasted, or whether further contacts are planned.

The reports do not describe the content of Zelensky's conversation with the Nordic leaders. They do not describe the outcome of the 20 October meeting in Oslo. Beyond Witkoff's attendance at that meeting, they do not describe any US role or position on the call.

Vocemundi reviewed only the headlines and summaries of the AP and Le Monde reports. Most details beyond the call itself come from the South China Morning Post's account of the leaders' joint statement.

Analysis

The call is a direct contact between two European leaders and the Kremlin. According to the leaders' joint statement, it was coordinated with Ukraine. Its significance is hard to judge, because the reports do not describe what was proposed or agreed. One possible reading is that Finland and Norway are acting as a channel for talks that began in Oslo. Another is that the call was mainly an exchange of known positions. The account of Putin's criticism of EU and NATO policy comes from a single subheadline. A Kremlin readout, or further statements from Kyiv or Washington, would help clarify which interpretation fits.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.