Støre: Putin knows security guarantees are key

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre revealed his aim to communicate Europe's stance on resolving the Russo-Ukrainian conflict during a recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders spoke on October 28, according to Reuters. They sought to identify "what needs to happen so this war does not continue endlessly for months."

Støre recognized that reaching a resolution had become "even more difficult." He suggested that Putin might not alter his stance, but he had the chance to clearly hear their position. Støre expressed concern that the Americans might not relay all their messages to Putin when speaking with him. When questioned about achieving peace without Ukraine ceding territory, Støre pointed out that Russia now controls nearly 20% of Ukraine.

He acknowledged that Ukraine would never accept an agreement acknowledging lost territory, but questioned whether Ukrainians could accept the current front line as a starting point. "The key question is what security guarantees Ukraine can receive after a peace agreement," Støre concluded. On October 27, Støre and Stubb held a phone call with Putin about the war in Ukraine, marking the first direct communication between European leaders supporting Ukraine and Putin since his July 2025 conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.