Person
Alexander Stubb
- Follow-up: Finland's Stubb and Norway's Store hold rare call with Putin on Ukraine peace, report wide differences
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held a joint call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, Oct 27, on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, a rare direct contact between European leaders and Putin. Stubb described the call as 'frank and substantive', while Store said there were 'major differences in views'. The two said they spoke as Russia's neighbours, not on behalf of Europe as a whole. Stubb said the idea came from talks in Oslo on Oct 20 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US envoy Steve Witkoff and was coordinated beforehand with Ukraine and the United States; Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed the coordination and said Kyiv is ready to accept a partial or full ceasefire.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Trump says US got 'nothing' from Ukraine but high-priced diesel; Witkoff to meet Putin in St Petersburg
Associated Press reported that on Oct 20 Trump said the United States had gotten 'nothing' from Ukraine except 'high-priced diesel' and that it was 'time' for Ukraine to reach a deal with Russia. Al Jazeera reported Trump told the White House that day: 'Zelensky has to want to end this war, and if he doesn't, I think it's going to be a very bad thing.' US envoy Steve Witkoff was due to meet Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss a proposal after talks with Zelensky in Oslo the day before; Finland's President Alexander Stubb, who took part in Oslo, said the plan had made 'real progress'.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon