Finnish and Norwegian Leaders Call Putin to Seek Ukraine Peace Talks
The Nordic leaders' appeal for renewed peace talks comes as Brussels prepares contacts with Russia, bringing direct European diplomacy over Ukraine into focus.
By Hushread Stories, from 25 outlets · First published 27 Oct 2026
In brief
- Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in a 90-minute call.
- The Nordic leaders initiated the call, discussing the war in Ukraine and efforts to end it.
- Stubb described the discussion as frank and substantive, and Finland characterized it as direct and factual.
- The call drew criticism and skepticism from Danish and other European leaders over coordination with allies.
- Russia and Ukraine are preparing for US-brokered peace talks, but reports describe no agreement resulting from the Nordic call.
Timeline · 4 moments
Zelenski says Nordic leaders pressed for a truce
Infobae ↗Stubb describes the discussion as frank and substantive
Expressen ↗Stubb and Støre speak with Putin on Tuesday morning
di.se ↗Nordic leaders request telephone contact with Putin
RT en Español - Noticias ↗Update 27 Oct 2026, 9:03 pm UTC
New reports say the call lasted 90 minutes and was the first contact at this level in more than a year. It has also prompted criticism from Denmark and skepticism from other European leaders over whether Finland and Norway acted in coordination with allies. Financial Times reported that Russia and Ukraine were preparing for US-brokered peace talks.
How it started
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre opened direct telephone contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine. di.se reported that the Nordic leaders took the initiative and spoke with him on Tuesday morning, October 27.
The aim was to push for an end to the war and restart the peace process, according to ABC and Euronews. The call brought two Nordic leaders directly into diplomatic discussions with Russia.
How it unfolded
The October 27 telephone conversation was requested by the two European leaders, according to RT en Español. di.se also described Stubb and Støre as having initiated contact.
After the discussion, Stubb described it in a press release as frank and substantive, Expressen reported. DER SPIEGEL carried Helsinki's description of the exchange as direct and factual.
Ukrainian President Volodímir Zelenski said the Finnish and Norwegian leaders had insisted on the need for a truce in their conversation with Putin, according to Infobae. That account identifies a specific request made during the call, beyond the broader appeal to resume peace efforts.
Where it stands
The reports establish that direct contact took place and that the Nordic leaders pressed for renewed peace efforts. They do not describe an agreed truce or a commitment from Putin to restart negotiations. Euronews framed the call as an attempt to restart the peace process, rather than a breakthrough.
The contact also comes as Brussels prepares face-to-face discussions with the Russian side, Euronews reported. The supplied coverage gives no date or participant list for those contacts.
What to watch
The next concrete development to watch is the planned contact between Brussels and the Russian side. Euronews reported that preparations were under way, but the format and timing remain unspecified in the coverage.
A separate test is whether the truce appeal described by Zelenski produces a Russian response or further discussions. Infobae reported his account of the Nordic leaders' request, without describing an agreement.
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