Putin received a phone call today from Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and, according to the Kremlin, they discussed efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. The Kremlin readout said that Stubb and Støre welcomed the agreement to resume trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November, and that the negotiations will address, among other issues, security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends.

For his part, Putin once again emphasized the root causes of the Ukraine conflict, stating that a just and lasting peace requires Russia’s legitimate interests to be fully and unconditionally taken into account. He also criticized the confrontational policies of EU and NATO countries, saying they are prolonging the fighting.

According to the Kremlin, the discussion included the security and stability in the Baltic Sea and of Northern Europe, and Stubb and Støre reaffirmed the importance of upholding international maritime law and the principle of freedom of navigation. The conversation ended with a mutual agreement to maintain direct telephone contact, the Kremlin said.