Back
Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Details will be announced by official Kyiv later.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is preparing to resume talks with Europeans about ending the war in Ukraine. According to Bloomberg, today he spoke with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
"This is the first direct contact between Putin and leading European leaders who are Kyiv's partners since President Emmanuel Macron spoke with his Russian counterpart in July of last year," the media wrote even before official confirmation of the conversation, adding that the choice of European delegates is conditioned by the fact that both Norway and Finland share a border with Russia.
Spokesman for the Kremlin president Dmitry Peskov earlier this week noted that the Russian Federation regards both countries as new participants in potential peace talks — precisely what the Europeans are seeking. The Kremlin mouthpiece then said: "We will see if they can even do this."
Later, the Stubb's office stated that the call had already taken place. They noted that the telephone conversation was a continuation of the meeting in Oslo 20 October.
"President Niinistö and Prime Minister Støre participated in the telephone conversation as the leaders of their countries and did not act as representatives of Europe," they noted. "Both countries act in the Baltic Sea region and in the northern regions in a stable and predictable manner."
The Finnish president also commented on the conversation: "The discussion was direct and to the point. We are neighbors of Russia. How the war ends will affect the security of Finland, Norway, and the entire EU. Ending the war requires direct discussions."
And Støre noted that Russia's invasion is causing enormous human suffering, requires substantial funds, and leaves a mark on several generations, so the sides need de-escalation.
UPDATED: Later, Dmitry Lytvyn, the president’s communications adviser, said that Vladimir Zelensky is speaking with Niinistö and Støre right now.
As a reminder, following the latest meeting between dictator Putin and American special representatives, his aide Yuriy Ushakov said that the Kremlin is ready to return to a trilateral format of negotiations — with the participation of the United States — in November. A new round could take place in Abu Dhabi. President Volodymyr Zelensky also said that the Americans are working on holding a trilateral summit, which would involve not only him and Putin, but also Trump. Such a meeting could take place in the Middle East, with possible venues including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph journalists have learned that the EU declined selecting a single special representative in favor of choosing a whole team of delegates to participate in negotiations for peace in Ukraine. In addition to Niinistö and Støre, the team could include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Czech President Petr Pavel, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The media explains that this option will help avoid a race for the role of chief envoy and neutralize the use of a veto as a blocking tool.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item ""Прямо та по суті": лідери Норвегії та Фінляндії поговорили з Путіним, а зараз розмовляють із Зеленським". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: ZN.ua.
