Ukrainian consultants helped prepare a telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
Details of the trilateral conversation were published on the official website of the President of Finland. According to the Finnish statement, the telephone discussion served as a direct continuation of an international meeting held in Oslo on October 20, with consultations conducted with Ukraine during preparations for the call.
The earlier talks in the Norwegian capital brought together representatives from the United States, Ukraine and several European leaders. Those participants gathered in Oslo to work out a proposal to present to Russia regarding the conflict.
Following the Oslo discussions, United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff travelled to Saint Petersburg for negotiations with Vladimir Putin. During that meeting, Steve Witkoff informed the Russian president about new approaches developed by Kyiv and European governments toward settling the conflict.
Nordic borders and diplomatic ties
Both Finland and Norway share land borders with Russia in northern Europe and coordinate on regional security. Alexander Stubb directs foreign policy as head of state in Finland, an independent republic that shares a border of more than 1,300 kilometres with Russia. Jonas Gahr Store leads the government of Norway, a fellow Nordic nation that borders Russia in the Arctic. Both nations maintain regular contact with European allies and the United States on regional defence.
Steve Witkoff has served as a special diplomatic envoy for the United States, representing Washington in high-level discussions abroad. His visit to Saint Petersburg, Russia's second largest city and historic port on the Baltic Sea, established a direct channel of communication with Vladimir Putin following the multilateral discussions among Western allies.
Oslo has long served as a venue for international peace negotiations and European diplomatic summits. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine, where the national government has worked alongside European and American partners to coordinate common diplomatic positions before any direct discussions are held with Russian authorities in Moscow.
