geopolitics17 hours ago
Nordic Rift: Denmark and Sweden Criticize Finland and Norway's Direct Talks with Putin
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, sparking a rare split among Nordic leaders. While Stubb and Støre described the conversation as 'frank and substantive' and aimed at de-escalation, Danish and Swedish leaders criticized the move as uncoordinated and ineffective. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the initiative, confirming it was coordinated with Kyiv, while the Kremlin maintained that peace requires full recognition of Russian interests. The disagreement highlights growing tensions within Europe over how to engage with Moscow amid stalled peace negotiations.