Europe Divided Over Calling Putin: Finland and Norway Face Nordic Backlash

Europe’s lack of a unified voice on Russia has led some leaders to open their own direct channels with Vladimir Putin, and the results are messy. This week, Finland’s Alexander Stubb and Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute phone call with the Russian president, prompting an unusual public rebuke from fellow Nordic nations Denmark and Sweden. The disagreement highlights a deepening rift over whether engaging Moscow is pragmatic diplomacy or a pointless gesture that undermines Western unity. With no single European representative negotiating directly, individual outreach risks sending mixed signals at a critical moment in the war in Ukraine. The Nordic split matters because it shows even traditionally aligned neighbours now disagree on how to handle the continent’s biggest security threat. As pressure mounts for a coordinated strategy, Europe must decide if talking to Putin helps or hurts.