Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a joint phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

The 90-minute conversation, conducted from Helsinki, marked a rare direct engagement between Putin and European leaders since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. The Nordic leaders initiated the call in consultation with Ukraine and described it as frank and substantive.

Stubb stated that the outcome of the war will have a direct impact on their countries and broader European security. He noted that ending the conflict requires direct discussions. Støre emphasized the enormous human and material costs of the war and stressed the importance of de-escalation.

The leaders clarified that they spoke only on behalf of Finland and Norway, not Europe as a whole. Both countries border Russia and remain firm supporters of Ukraine.

Putin told the leaders that achieving a just and long-term peace is possible only if Russia's legitimate interests are fully and unconditionally taken into account. The Kremlin readout also blamed confrontational policies by the EU and NATO for prolonging the conflict.

Following the call with Putin, Stubb and Støre spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for their active support and noted that they conveyed the need for real de-escalatory steps regarding Ukrainian energy and infrastructure.

The initiative comes ahead of planned U.S.-mediated technical meetings in Abu Dhabi in early November. It follows a meeting last week in Oslo involving the Nordic leaders, Zelenskyy, and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The outreach drew some criticism from other European partners, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who questioned the value of solo approaches and called for greater European coordination.

Russian forces struck transport infrastructure in Kyiv on the same day, targeting a major bridge amid the diplomatic activity.

The call signals continued diplomatic maneuvering as the United States under President Donald Trump advances efforts to broker an end to the fighting.