The leaders of Norway and Finland report a direct and in-depth dialogue with Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine.
The leaders of Norway and Finland have described their conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine as "frank and substantial." The contact comes amid lasting tensions between Moscow and the Nordic capitals, and illustrates the determination of both countries to keep a channel of discussion open despite the breakdown of most diplomatic relations.
Both states share a long land border with Russia, particularly in the Arctic. Since the outset of the conflict, Helsinki has joined NATO, while Oslo has actively backed Kyiv on the military, financial and humanitarian fronts. Against this backdrop, exchanges with the Kremlin appear to be a delicate exercise, both political and security-related, whose precise objectives remain sparsely detailed in public.
The officials involved stressed the seriousness of the discussion, without announcing any concrete breakthrough. No formal agreement has been presented at this stage, and the substantive positions on a possible ceasefire or on the conditions for a lasting peace appear to remain far apart.
In European capitals, this type of contact draws mixed reactions. Some see it as a legitimate means of reducing the risk of escalation and of maintaining a fine-grained reading of Russian intentions. Others question the real scope of such exchanges and the risk that they might be exploited for communication purposes by the Russian authorities.
The coming weeks will show whether this conversation paves the way for further contacts or remains an isolated episode. Observers will be watching in particular the official statements from the Norwegian and Finnish governments, as well as any reaction from Kyiv and its Western allies.
Both states share a long land border with Russia, particularly in the Arctic. Since the outset of the conflict, Helsinki has joined NATO, while Oslo has actively backed Kyiv on the military, financial and humanitarian fronts. Against this backdrop, exchanges with the Kremlin appear to be a delicate exercise, both political and security-related, whose precise objectives remain sparsely detailed in public.
The officials involved stressed the seriousness of the discussion, without announcing any concrete breakthrough. No formal agreement has been presented at this stage, and the substantive positions on a possible ceasefire or on the conditions for a lasting peace appear to remain far apart.
In European capitals, this type of contact draws mixed reactions. Some see it as a legitimate means of reducing the risk of escalation and of maintaining a fine-grained reading of Russian intentions. Others question the real scope of such exchanges and the risk that they might be exploited for communication purposes by the Russian authorities.
The coming weeks will show whether this conversation paves the way for further contacts or remains an isolated episode. Observers will be watching in particular the official statements from the Norwegian and Finnish governments, as well as any reaction from Kyiv and its Western allies.
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Source: La Nouvelle République