Nordic Leaders Hold Rare Putin Call, Suddenly Eager For Say In Ukraine Peace Talks

At a moment Washington and Moscow are seeking to improve bilateral relations, and as the Trump administration continues pressuring Ukraine's Zelensky to essentially shut-up and make compromise, European leaders are scrambling for a seat at the table regarding any potential peace deal.Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held rare phone calls with President Vladimir Putin Tuesday, after years of lack of any direct contact or diplomacy amid the Ukraine war. The two European presidents later touched base with Zelensky in a phone call as well. The Putin conversation was reportedly initiated by the Finnish and Norwegian sides, and not by Moscow.via ReutersThe Kremlin, which feels itself in the driver's seat given Trump has lately been publicly chiding Zelensky, issued a statement: "It was emphasized that achieving a just and long-term peace is possible only if the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation are fully and unconditionally taken into account," it said."At the same time, attention was drawn to the confrontational policies of EU and NATO countries, which are contributing to the prolongation of the hostilities."Stubb's office confirmed that much of the conversation centered on preparations for trilateral technical-level meetings set for Abu Dhabi in early November, involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine.The Finnish readout said (with a hint of defensiveness), "The discussion was frank and substantive. We are neighboring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions."Last week, after Trump's envoy met with Putin in St. Petersburg, a Kremlin readout indicated "Our president informed Steve Witkoff that we are ready in principle to resume the above-mentioned trilateral talks around November 10 on the main subject. This topic is about building a security system for Russia and Ukraine."So now that there's clear forward momentum, which is fully backed by the US, European leaders are hurrying to have a say, jumping on the trilateral talks bandwagon.Russia's RT has noted, "The two Nordic leaders said they took part in the call as leaders of their countries and were not speaking on behalf of Europe."The expected denunciations fly from other European capitals...And, "They added that the call was held in consultation with Ukraine to convey its position ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks, and vowed to continue to support Kiev."Sounding the alarm... over talking about how to achieve peace:There has of late been significant changes in Washington's posture in Ukraine, the Kremlin has noted this month, and this has caused Moscow's stance to in turn be "re-evaluated, taking into account the signals received from the Americans."