Kyiv Seeks 'New Momentum' as Nordic Leaders Brief Putin Call Amid European Scepticism

For ninety minutes on Tuesday, Finland's president, Alexander Stubb, and Norway's prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, were on the phone with Vladimir Putin. They were trying to break the deadlock in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Stubb called the conversation frank and substantive and said that ending the war requires direct discussions with Russia. Støre acknowledged that significant differences remain between the sides' positions.

The Kremlin's account of the call was less conciliatory. According to its readout, Putin blamed the EU and Nato for confrontational policies and demanded full and unconditional recognition of the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation.

The call drew criticism from several European capitals. The prime ministers of Denmark, Estonia, Poland and Sweden reacted with scepticism or outright disapproval. Støre responded that all partners and allies had been told in advance. Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, wrote on X that only increased pressure would make Russia take negotiations seriously. He said every contact with Moscow must show European unity and make clear that Europe will not negotiate away the principles underpinning its security. In his view there is no sign Russia has changed its strategic aims, which he described as subjugating all of Ukraine and undermining the order built on Nato and the EU.

Sweden's prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, said any peace must be achieved on Ukraine's terms and through strength, not appeasement. He said the German and French attempts at dialogue with Moscow had produced very modest results, and that he saw nothing to suggest Russia wants peace. He added that he expected an update on the discussions later in the day. In Singapore, German chancellor Friedrich Merz said efforts by the US and Russia to end the war can never find solutions without Ukraine, and that any talks must include European countries. He said the war's end depends on one person, and that Europe is defending not only Ukraine's territory but the political order of the whole continent.

Kyiv took a different view. Speaking in Helsinki beside his Finnish and Norwegian counterparts, Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, confirmed the call had been coordinated with Ukraine and called that the right approach to any engagement with Putin. He said Ukraine wants a new momentum in the talks and a new role for Europe in the peace effort. President Zelenskyy had set out the signals he wanted passed to Putin, Sybiha said: a ceasefire, and a readiness to meet Putin in person. Negotiators can only go so far, he argued, and the only route to a new quality in the talks is a meeting of the two presidents. Zelenskyy, after being briefed by the Nordic leaders, called for real de-escalatory steps. Sybiha rejected the suggestion that the timing was poor, saying that in wartime every step supporting peace efforts is timely. He described the European channel as a supplementary track, not an alternative to the US-led talks, and said Kyiv is ready for a trilateral meeting in the UAE next month. He also conceded that the situation on the ground remains very tough because of relentless Russian strikes.

The call came hours after a localised ceasefire began in Oleshky, in the Kherson region, following intense calls for humanitarian aid to reach residents. Sybiha said it could serve as a confidence-building measure. US first lady Melania Trump, who helped organise it, said the start was moved forward two days to protect civilians and speed aid deliveries, and that the ceasefire zone was widened beyond Oleshky to give humanitarian convoys safe passage.

Elsewhere, tension with Russia was running high. Romania summoned the Russian ambassador over a fire on 14 September at the state-owned Carfil defence plant in Brașov, which also damaged several commercial premises. Three people are under investigation. Romania's intelligence service, the SRI, said it had identified a coordinated Russian sabotage network behind the arson, with other attempts on targets including international military facilities and sites used to train Ukrainian forces. President Nicușor Dan called it a grave violation of sovereignty and part of a premeditated campaign. UK defence secretary Wes Streeting warned that Putin is testing Nato's resolve and said Britain must be ready for a scenario of war with Russia, noting that Putin's assurances recall what he said days before invading Ukraine.

The next marker is the proposed trilateral meeting in the UAE next month, and whether Kyiv's call for a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting gains any traction.