핀란드·노르웨이 leaders, Ukraine's consent, hold phone call with Putin

왜 중요한가

The call demonstrated Europe's effort to influence the peace negotiations directly rather than remain a passive observer. It also intensified disagreement over who should represent Europe and whether engaging with Moscow can help end the war. Ukraine's position was coordinated with Kyiv and conveyed to Putin during the conversation, but Støre said he was not persuaded that Putin was genuinely ready to reach a peace agreement.

무슨 일이 있었나

Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre secretly prepared a phone call with Putin for several months. Before contacting him, they consulted Zelenskyy, who supported the initiative. The leaders agreed the discussion topics with Kyiv, then conveyed Ukraine's position on future negotiations to Putin during their 90-minute phone call on October 27. They subsequently informed Zelenskyy about how the conversation had gone.

Stubb and Støre described the call as a continuation of the October 20 meeting in Oslo involving Zelenskyy and US envoy Stephen Witkoff. Their aim was to amplify Europe's voice in negotiations and prevent US-Russian discussions from marginalizing Ukraine and European interests. One reported objective was to assess Putin's psychological state. Støre said Putin sounded rational and stated his arguments clearly, but the readiness to take a phone call only indicated, at minimum, willingness to negotiate. He nevertheless remained unconvinced that Putin was truly open to an agreement.

The Scandinavian leaders did not seek permission for the call from every European partner. Their initiative produced a reported sharp split among northern allies and deep divisions across Europe over how to deal with Moscow.

우크라이나 매체의 시각

Ukrainian coverage emphasizes that the Scandinavian leaders coordinated the call and its topics with Kyiv, obtained Zelenskyy's support, transmitted Ukraine's position to Putin and reported back afterward. The framing presents the initiative as an effort to give Ukraine and Europe a more direct voice in the peace process while exposing disagreements among European governments over negotiations with Russia.

국제 매체의 시각

International coverage connects the call to Trump's renewed direct contacts with Putin, the suspension of US financial assistance to Kyiv and Witkoff's contacts in Moscow. Støre's assessment of Putin as rational is presented alongside his doubts about the Kremlin leader's willingness to compromise. The story also highlights the conflict between European leaders seeking direct engagement and the position that Europe should not mediate or bargain with a dictator.

보도가 엇갈리는 지점

European governments disagree over who should represent Europe in future negotiations and whether direct interaction with Putin helps establish peace. Separately, European officials denied reports that Putin delivered a historical lecture to Stubb and Støre, while Støre declined to confirm the report. Officials suggested the claim was a Russian interpretation intended to belittle Europeans.

배경

Stubb and Støre spent several months secretly preparing the call and described it as a continuation of the October 20 meeting in Oslo. After Donald Trump returned to the White House, he renewed direct contacts with Putin and stopped US financial assistance to Kyiv. European leaders were concerned that negotiations between Washington and Moscow would not adequately reflect the interests of the EU, Ukraine and other European partners. The call was made as those transatlantic dynamics shaped negotiations over ending the war.