"90 Minutes of Lectures on History": What Putin Said in His Conversation with the Leaders of Finland and Norway

The Financial Times reports this, citing three informed sources.

What are the details of the Europeans’ phone call to Putin?

Instead of the planned 30 minutes, the conversation lasted an hour and a half. The prospect of an immediate ceasefire – a key demand of Ukraine – was barely mentioned during the call.

The Northern leaders deliberately chose not to interrupt Putin’s historical digressions in order to gauge his genuine willingness to engage in serious dialogue with Europe.

This conversation marked the Russian leader’s first direct contact with Ukraine’s European allies since July of last year.

Divergences in Europe and Preparations for the Summit

In a joint statement, Stubb and Støre explained that they sought to send clear signals regarding the upcoming negotiations on ending the war, scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, the politicians noted that they were not speaking on behalf of all of Europe.

Oslo and Helsinki’s independent move drew criticism from partners in the region. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly stated that “ sees no signs that Moscow is seeking peace,” and called for maintaining the continent’s unity rather than acting alone.

The office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni added that this call highlighted the main problem: Europe has yet to decide who exactly should represent its interests in the peace process.

The Kremlin’s Hardline Stance and Contact with Kyiv

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov immediately ruled out the prospect of further negotiations with European leaders, describing the conversation as an attempt to interfere with the process. According to him, the war will continue and may escalate.

Immediately after the call with Moscow ended, the leaders of Finland and Norway held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian president emphasized that European politicians had clearly told Putin of the need for a genuine de-escalation regarding attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector and infrastructure.