Finland’s Stubb and Norway PM call Putin in break with previous European stance
Finland's president and Norway's prime minister picking up the phone to Vladimir Putin is the kind of move that would have been unthinkable a couple of years ago. Finland only joined NATO in 2023, and both countries have been among the most vocal backers of Ukraine. So a direct call, even carefully framed as not speaking for anyone else, carries real weight.
I think the key is what they hope to accomplish. Stressing that they weren't speaking on behalf of the EU or NATO reads as an attempt to keep a channel open without undermining the broader alliance position. That's a careful line to walk, and it suggests these leaders see value in dialogue that public posturing doesn't allow.
What I'd want to know next is what Putin actually said and whether this is the start of a coordinated Nordic approach or just a one-off. If more European leaders start calling Moscow, the isolation strategy starts to crack. If it stays a quiet backchannel, it might be a pragmatic move that changes little in the short term.
Either way, it's a reminder that diplomacy and public posture are often two different things, and the hardest conversations tend to happen out of sight.