Denmark‘s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized Finland‘s and Norway‘s leaders Tuesday after they held a joint phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine.
The call came ahead of planned US-led peace talks, which European leaders are seeking to join.
Why did Denmark criticize the call?
Frederiksen said that Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store had gone “solo.”
“I’m very sceptical about this Norwegian and Finnish initiative. It hasn’t been coordinated with any of the rest of us,” she told reporters while attending a meeting of Nordics leaders.
“I honestly don’t know what those two countries think they can achieve with this.”
“I believe we should keep Europe united, rather than going it alone,” Frederiksen said.
Stubb and Store said they had consulted Ukraine before initiating the call.
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They stressed that they represented their own countries and were not speaking on behalf of Europe.
What did the leaders discuss with Putin?
Stubb described the conversation as “frank and substantive.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the call, the first between the three leaders.
“The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions,” Stubb said.
Finland and Norway both border Russia and have supported Ukraine throughout the war.
Store said the leaders had emphasized de-escalation.
“The war comes with enormous human and material costs. The suffering and destruction will impact generations,” he said.
How was Ukraine involved?
The call followed an October 20 meeting in Oslo involving Stubb, Store, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US envoy Steve Witkoff. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner joined remotely.
Zelenskyy also spoke with the Nordic leaders after their conversation with Putin.
“Finland and Norway will continue to support Ukraine, and the efforts to find a just and lasting peace,” Stubb wrote on social media.
A US-mediated ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky is set to last until November 1,
Ukraine’s top negotiator Davyd Arakhamia said on Tuesday.
“This is the biggest de-escalation since 2022,” he said on Telegram, adding that every such step brings peace closer.
