Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, urging de-escalation and an end to the war in Ukraine.
The leaders stressed that the conflict’s outcome directly affects European security, while reaffirming their continued support for Kyiv.
They subsequently spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The outreach marked a departure from the longstanding reluctance of many European leaders to contact Putin directly. The Kremlin’s account offered no indication of a change in Russia’s position.
