Zelenskyy praises Finland and Norway after their direct call with Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre for their direct phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin urging an end to the war, a statement made on 28 October 2026. Zelenskyy said the dialogue demonstrated a constructive step toward peace. The call, lasting about 90 minutes on 9 October 2026, saw Stubb and Støre press Putin for a cease-fire and was not coordinated with other European partners. The initiative drew criticism from Denmark, Sweden and Poland, while Ukrainian officials confirmed it was coordinated with Kyiv.
Earlier diplomatic overtures, including proposals for a U. S. –China–Russia summit, had raised doubts about Moscow’s willingness to negotiate.