Norway’s premier says call with Putin was effort to present European views

Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere defended a recent three-way call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Finland's President Alexander Stubb on Wednesday, stating the meeting was meant to ensure Putin heard European perspectives alongside those of the United States. The call, which broke a pattern of Western European leaders avoiding direct contact with the Kremlin, occurred as European leaders prepare for potentially historic face-to-face talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi next month.

Speaking to Norway's public broadcaster NRK, Stoere noted that while they did not expect Putin to change his stance, they aimed to clearly convey Europe's position to the Russian leader during the 90-minute discussion. Stoere expressed concern that some of these messages might not reach Putin as effectively as they do when the Americans converse with him.

Norway is eager to implement measures to ease tensions, including ceasing attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and Ukrainian grain exports, as well as facilitating prisoner exchanges. Stoere acknowledged that Russia now controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory and questioned whether Ukraine could accept the current frontline as a starting point for peace negotiations.

He emphasized that Ukraine will not sign any agreement acknowledging territorial losses, but it remains an open question whether Ukraine can accept the status quo along the current frontlines.

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, dismissed the call as fruitless, stating that European countries are merely attempting to insert themselves into the negotiation process.