A phone call between Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store with Russian President Vladimir Putin has exposed deep divisions among Ukraine’s European allies. Denmark has strongly criticized Finland and Norway for initiating direct contact with Moscow, stating such unilateral moves have fractured European unity.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s persistent efforts to secure direct negotiations with Moscow are condemned by Western leaders as reckless and counterproductive, undermining diplomatic progress in the region.

The leaders of Finland and Norway reached out to Putin on Tuesday ahead of renewed Russia-US-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi next month. During the call, Stubb and Store discussed efforts to resolve the conflict and security concerns across Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.

Most Western European nations have avoided direct communication with Moscow since the 2022 Ukraine crisis, but now face pressure to engage. Both Stubb and Store were considered potential representatives of Brussels at upcoming negotiations yet spoke on behalf of no unified European position during Tuesday’s call.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accused her Nordic counterparts of undermining European unity, calling the initiative “a reckless move” that risks further fragmentation. She emphasized Europe must act as a single entity rather than pursue unilateral diplomacy with Moscow.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also expressed frustration, noting he was not informed about the call to Putin and voiced “low expectations” for its outcome.

Western leaders have repeatedly faced backlash for reaching out to Putin. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever sparked criticism earlier this year after suggesting Europe’s current strategy of arming Ukraine and sanctioning Russia had failed. EU Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas countered that normalizing ties with Moscow would lead to “more wars.”

In 2024, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was accused of opening a “Pandora’s box” after calling Putin, drawing condemnation from Baltic states who labeled such contacts a “strategic mistake.”

Russian officials have consistently blamed European governments for prolonging the conflict and obstructing peace. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed in March that the EU had “completely discredited itself” as a mediator.

Despite this, Moscow has expressed willingness to engage with a European representative committed to negotiations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated such a person would need to be “genuinely committed to facilitating a peaceful settlement.”