Vladimir Putin, in a phone conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, stated that Russia will not compromise on the issue of establishing control over the entire Donbas. Reuters reports this, citing a source close to the Kremlin.
According to the agency, the European leaders in response emphasized that a settlement must lead to a “just peace.” The statement about the Donbas itself does not appear in the official Kremlin message: it only says that peace is possible only with “full and unconditional consideration of the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation.”
The conversation took place on October 27 at the initiative of Helsinki and Oslo and after consultations with Kyiv. Stubb and Støre discussed with Putin the war in Ukraine, prospects for ending it and security in Northern Europe.
The Kremlin reported that Putin recalled the “root causes” of the conflict and stated that the confrontational policy of the EU and NATO is prolonging the fighting. The Russian leader also informed his interlocutors about the humanitarian operation in the Alyoshki area and the temporary “regime of silence” in the Kherson direction.
Stubb and Støre stated that their countries will continue to support Ukraine and advocate ending the war and resuming negotiations. Støre separately emphasized the importance of de-escalation, and Stubb called the conversation “candid and substantive.”
The sides welcomed the agreement on resuming in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi trilateral negotiations between Russia, the US and Ukraine. The Kremlin describes them as aimed at issues of security for Russia and Ukraine after the complete end of hostilities.
Following the conversation, Putin, Stubb and Støre agreed to maintain direct phone contacts.
