“Mediation to End Ukraine War”: Finland and Norway Hold Relay Calls with Putin and Zelenskyy

[Financial News] The leaders of Finland and Norway held successive phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stepping in to mediate an end to the war in Ukraine. They are laying the groundwork ahead of trilateral peace talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine scheduled for next month, but the move has drawn criticism in parts of Europe as “unilateral action” taken without coordination with allies, exposing divisions.

According to the Finnish president’s office and other sources, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a joint 90-minute call with Putin on the 27th (local time). It was the first direct contact between a Western leader and Putin since French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with him in July last year. The two Nordic leaders called Zelenskyy immediately after their conversation with Putin and shared what had been discussed.
The relay calls follow discussions on ending the war in Ukraine held in Oslo, Norway, on the 20th. In Oslo, Zelenskyy and the two Nordic leaders discussed ways to end the war with Steve Witkoff, special envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump. Witkoff then traveled to St. Petersburg and met with Putin.
The calls were arranged ahead of trilateral peace talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine, to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), after the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for the 3rd of next month and before the middle of that month, with the aim of conveying both sides’ positions directly and urging a reduction in tensions.

In the calls, both sides expressed hope for peace talks while revealing clear differences in their positions. According to the Kremlin, Putin welcomed the agreement to resume trilateral talks, but stressed that “Russia’s legitimate interests must be fully taken into account to achieve a just and lasting peace.” He also blamed the West, saying that “the confrontational policies of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are prolonging the war.”
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said on Telegram, “I am grateful to the two leaders for supporting our diplomacy and our shared efforts for peace,” adding, “I made clear to President Putin that practical steps are needed to ease attacks on Ukraine’s energy and infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, divisions have emerged within Europe over the Nordic leaders’ active mediation efforts. Concerns were voiced about their contacting Putin individually, without formal agreement or coordination at the European level.
In an interview with local media, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the move, saying, “This conversation was not discussed with any of us,” and adding, “Russia is showing no signs that it wants peace; we should remain united rather than act individually.” Italian officials also pointed out that there is no agreed representative to speak for Europe’s interests in Ukraine peace talks, and called for “the swift appointment of someone with a clear mandate to represent Europe.”
The Nordic leaders strongly defended the rationale for their actions in response to the criticism. Finnish President Stubb stressed the need for direct communication, saying, “The consequences of the war directly affect not only those of us who share a border, but also the security of Europe as a whole.” Norwegian Prime Minister Støre likewise countered, “The United States should not be the only country maintaining channels of communication with the Russian leadership.”  

[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter