The leaders of Finland and Norway spoke with Putin about negotiations and held calls with Zelenskyy
Kyiv • UNN
Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Putin about the war against Ukraine. They called for negotiations and de-escalation.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb held a phone call with Kremlin head Vladimir Putin, following the October 20 meeting in Oslo with U.S. envoys and "in consultation with Ukraine." The office of the Finnish president reported this on October 27, UNN writes.
Details
"The President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb and Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, October 27, in Helsinki. The conversation was a continuation of the October 20 meeting in Oslo and took place in consultation with Ukraine," Stubb's office emphasized.
Stubb and Støre, it is noted, "initiated the conversation to discuss Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end the war and promote peace and stability in Europe.
"Finland and Norway border Russia. They are staunch supporters of Ukraine. The purpose of the conversation was to convey a message directly to President Putin regarding future negotiations that will help end the war. The conversation concerned future meetings that will take place in Abu Dhabi," Stubb's office noted.
Stubb and Støre, it is noted, took the call as the leaders of their respective countries and did not speak on behalf of Europe as a whole.
"Norway and Finland have always promoted peace and security in our region. These two countries share an interest in stability and predictability in the Baltic Sea region and the High North. This was emphasized during the call," the statement said.
Stubb and Støre, it was reported, "emphasized that Finland and Norway would continue their longstanding support for Ukraine. They also stressed that the war must end and negotiations must resume."
"The discussion was frank and substantive. We are neighboring countries of Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our security and broader European security. Ending the war requires direct negotiations," Finnish President Stubb said.
"The war is accompanied by enormous human and material losses. The suffering and destruction will affect generations. During the call, we emphasized the importance of de-escalation," Norwegian Prime Minister Støre said.
President Stubb and Prime Minister Støre held the talks from Helsinki.
According to AFP, Stubb and Støre are now informing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about their talks.