Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said all partners and allies had been informed before the Putin call he held with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki on Tuesday, 27 October. He was responding to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s criticism of their diplomatic initiative.
Rejecting the suggestion that Norway and Finland had acted alone, Støre told Norwegian broadcaster TV 2 that preparations had involved extensive consultation.
“All our partners and allies were informed in advance.”
Frederiksen had criticised the two leaders for an initiative she said had not been coordinated with other European governments. She argued that Europe should maintain a common approach to Russia rather than pursue separate contacts.
Stubb says all Nordic countries knew about the Putin call
Finnish President Alexander Stubb subsequently said key allies, including every Nordic country, had received advance notice. That includes Denmark. They were also briefed on the contents afterwards, he told the Nordic Council session in Helsinki, according to TV 2’s account of his remarks.
Stubb said the call had been prepared in consultation with Ukraine. He and Støre then briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for about half an hour, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported.
There were differing accounts of the advance notice. Yle also reported that Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson had said he had not been informed beforehand.
The joint Norwegian and Finnish statement emphasised that Støre and Stubb spoke as national leaders, rather than on behalf of Europe. Both countries border Russia. Støre said they had a responsibility to defend their own interests.
The Commission confirms advance notice
European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho initially described the contact as bilateral and said the EU was involved in diplomatic efforts across different formats. She reiterated its aim of a just and lasting peace.
At a Brussels briefing on Wednesday, 28 October, Pinho explicitly confirmed the advance notice, Anadolu Agency reported.
“We were informed before the call.”
She also stressed the need for a united message in any talks with Putin. Advance notification does not, by itself, establish agreement on the initiative or a mandate to speak for Europe.
Frederiksen faces criticism in Denmark
Former Danish foreign minister Per Stig Møller argued that Frederiksen should have raised her objections privately. He described her public criticism as a diplomatic blunder, according to Politiken, as reported by TV 2.
Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Political Science, also questioned what the criticism achieved. He argued that Nordic unity, which had benefited Denmark over Greenland, remained important in relations with Russia.
For Ukraine, the immediate focus remains de-escalation and preparations for negotiations. Zelenskyy thanked Stubb and Støre for their support and said they had conveyed the need for concrete steps to reduce attacks on Ukrainian energy and infrastructure.
