Source tells Vlast newsletter that Putin welcomed late-October call from Finland’s president and Norway’s prime minister as a possible start of substantive talks with Europe

Kremlin sources say Vladimir Putin welcomed a late-October call from Finland’s president and Norway’s prime minister as a possible opening for substantive talks with Europe. The account suggests the leaders may offer a route to more regular engagement, at a time when contact between Putin and European leaders who support Ukraine has been limited.

Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gahr Støre called Putin on 26 October, coordinating with Kyiv and conveying Ukraine’s position ahead of renewed talks. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Volodymyr Zelensky had asked them to relay that he was ready to discuss territorial issues in a face-to-face meeting with Putin. A Kremlin-linked source said Putin viewed Finland and Norway as less hard-line than Germany, France and the UK; the call was the first such contact since Putin spoke with Emmanuel Macron in July 2025.