European Allies Clash Over Direct Talks With Putin

Finland and Norway’s leaders drew criticism from European allies for calling Russian President Vladimir Putin, exposing a dispute over how Europe can influence President Donald Trump’s push for a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

As Russian and Ukrainian negotiators prepare to meet U.S. envoys in Abu Dhabi, European governments are still debating who should represent them in future negotiations.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called Putin from Helsinki on October 27 after consulting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, POLITICO reported.

They told Putin that territorial boundaries could be discussed only in a face-to-face meeting between leaders and that steps to de-escalate the war would have to come first.

“We work closely with our European partners in supporting Ukraine, but the only voice reaching Moscow comes from Washington,” Støre told POLITICO.

The call followed an October 20 meeting in Oslo with Zelensky and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff that Stubb said had put the peace process “back on track.”

A day later, Witkoff met Putin in St. Petersburg and described him as a “humanitarian.”

Stubb and Støre concluded that European leaders who supported Kyiv needed to speak directly to Putin as well, POLITICO reported.

Allies Dispute How to Engage Moscow

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Finland and Norway had failed to coordinate with allies.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson warned against appeasement, and Lithuania also criticized the call.

Estonia’s prime minister, Kristen Michal, told POLITICO that Europe should avoid casting itself as a mediator.

Officials familiar with the preparations told POLITICO that Denmark, France, Germany and the U.S. had been informed in advance.

Støre said he and Stubb had acted on behalf of their own countries. They briefed Zelensky afterward, and the Ukrainian president publicly defended them.

Putin told the two leaders he would instruct his negotiators to prepare for the Abu Dhabi meeting and later publicly welcomed the call.

Støre said the conversation left him unconvinced that Putin was genuinely open to a deal. Neither Nordic leader expects a major breakthrough in Abu Dhabi, according to POLITICO.

European Union leaders are due to discuss their approach at an informal summit in Dublin.

Some European officials told POLITICO they doubted Washington would defend European and Ukrainian interests in the negotiations.

The dispute over the call has left governments divided on whether direct contact with Moscow would give Europe more influence or help Putin regain diplomatic standing while the war continues.