Helsinki, Oct 27 (AP) Finland’s president and Norway’s prime minister spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials said Tuesday.
The call, confirmed by the offices of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, followed an Oct 20 meeting in Oslo between the two Nordic leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The call was held in consultation with Ukraine, according to the official statements by the two Nordic countries. Stubb and Store initiated the call to discuss the war and upcoming trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States that are expected to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in November.
The two European leaders spoke on behalf of their own countries and not the whole of Europe, the statements said.
“The discussion was frank and substantive,” Stubb said. “We are neighbouring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions.”
“The war comes with enormous human and material costs,” Store said. “The suffering and destruction will impact generations. In the call we stressed the importance of de-escalation.
(PTI News)
