Putin may not want peace, warns Norwegian leader who spoke to him

Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre warned that he does not expect the upcoming Abu Dhabi talks to result in a significant breakthrough in ending Russia's war with Ukraine. Støre, who spoke to POLITICO ahead of the talks, expressed caution about the situation, suggesting that the conference should be viewed as a starting point for further discussions.

The agenda for the talks may include several confidence-building measures such as a ceasefire for the Black Sea, protection of energy infrastructure, and a freeze on the front line. Additionally, there are talks of prisoner swaps and security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

Støre's skepticism stems from his assessment of Russian President Vladimir Putin's mindset. He believes Putin may not genuinely want peace, as the war has been ongoing for nearly five years and has led to Russia's decline, while neighboring countries join NATO and Ukrainian people continue to suffer. Støre emphasized that if Putin were genuinely interested in peace, the war should have ended long ago.

However, he acknowledged that Putin's decision to engage in conversation with him and Stubb suggests a readiness to negotiate.

Despite his cautious optimism, Støre did not rule out the possibility of peace. He stated that if Putin had wanted peace, the war would not have continued. Nevertheless, he cautioned that pursuing a deal without concrete evidence of Putin's true intentions could have consequences for Europe and the ongoing conflict.