On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, focusing on ways to resolve the crisis in Ukraine. These calls were initiated at the request of the Finnish
and Norwegian sides. A Kremlin statement indicated that discussions addressed developments related to the Ukrainian crisis, especially following Putin's meeting with U.S. President's envoy Steve Whitkov in Saint Petersburg on October 21. The talks also followed meetings between the Finnish
and Norwegian leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on October 20. The statement noted the leaders' welcome of the agreement to resume trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States in Abu Dhabi during the first half
of November, aiming to discuss security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine after a complete cessation of hostilities. During the talks, Putin presented his assessment of the situation on the Ukrainian front, emphasizing that achieving a just and lasting peace
requires full consideration of "Russia's legitimate interests without conditions." The discussions also covered security and stability issues in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe, where the Finnish and Norwegian leaders stressed the importance of adhering to international maritime law and
principles of freedom of navigation. The leaders agreed to maintain direct communication via telephone. Since February 24, 2022, Russia has launched a military offensive against Ukraine, demanding that Kyiv abandon its aspirations to join Western military alliances, a stance Ukraine
rejects as interference in its internal affairs.
