Two Nordic leaders urge Putin to end Ukraine war in rare direct contact by Europeans

Key Points:

• Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere held a 90-minute call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging an end to the war in Ukraine and emphasizing the importance of de-escalation and direct dialogue.
• The call, coordinated with Ukraine and linked to upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi, marks a break from Western European leaders' usual avoidance of direct contact with the Kremlin, aiming to influence the diplomatic process amid shifting US-Russia-Ukraine relations.
• The Kremlin's response indicated no change in Putin's stance, insisting that peace requires Russia's interests to be fully considered and blaming EU and NATO policies for prolonging the conflict.
• Reactions among European leaders were mixed: Ukraine welcomed the initiative, while some, including Danish and Swedish leaders, expressed skepticism about Russia's willingness for peace and criticized unilateral talks.
• Analysts view the call as an attempt to open new channels for dialogue after European governments found themselves sidelined in peace efforts dominated by the US, with Russia showing some openness to European involvement but maintaining firm territorial demands.