Stockholm—Even though they said they spoke not on behalf of the Europe, but in the interests of their two nations, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway and President Alexander Stubb of Finland triggered a firestorm yesterday with their 90-minute phone call with Russia President Vladimir Putin. The “permanent war” gang within the EU is finding that actual national concerns—such as escalating military budgets blowing up both living standards and unmanageable national debts—are sounding louder than the “war with Russia” cry.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had warned Stubb and Støre that “absolute caution and vigilance are necessary in such contacts.” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also lamented that he had not been informed of the call to Putin beforehand and that he was aware that other European leaders also said they were not informed of the talks. He told Swedish daily DN: “My impression is that everyone wants peace, except for Putin himself. I have quite low expectations for this type of conversation.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accused her Nordic colleagues of breaking ranks, saying she was “very skeptical about this Norwegian-Finnish initiative... It has not been coordinated with any of us… I think we need to stand together and speak with one voice.”
However, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, in perhaps an indication that they are tired of being used up as a proxy, took the side of Stubb and Støre. At a joint press conference in Helsinki, he stated: “We discussed the morning phone calls between the leaders of Norway and Finland and Putin, and later with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We welcome such active support for our diplomatic efforts and the peace process. This call was coordinated with us, and this is the right approach... We welcome such active support for our diplomatic efforts and peace process.”
Støre answered the criticism from Frederiksen: “The EU did not have any common message or common strategy for four years.” According to Svenska Dagbladet Oct. 28, Støre underscored that he and Stubb “did not claim speaking for anyone else and that it was relevant with this communication as the three countries are bordering each other. And that it should not be a situation where it is only the Trump administration in the U.S., who has a channel for talks with Moscow. … It is not about creating splits, it is about taking care of our own interests.”