A conversation between Støre, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Putin took place in Helsinki on October 27, 2026. According to The Moscow Times, the discussion lasted 90 minutes instead of the planned 20.
According to The Straits Times, participants discussed an end to strikes on Russia's and Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the safety of ships carrying Ukrainian grain, and prisoner exchanges. Yle News reported that the conversation followed consultations with Ukraine and served as preparation for trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi in November.
The Moscow Times called this conversation Putin's first contact with the leader of a European country—an ally of Ukraine—since a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2025.
European leaders' positions on the initiative diverged. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that she was "very skeptical" of it and did not believe in Russia's desire for peace, The Moscow Times reported.
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that Norway and Finland are Russia's neighbors and called the decision to hold the conversation important for Moscow, Lenta.ru reported.
