Stubb’s Putin call opens an exploratory phase, professor says

Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin was an exploratory effort to open communication, political history professor Juhana Aunesluoma told Yle.

The call did not necessarily pose a problem for the rest of Europe, said Aunesluoma, of the University of Helsinki. He said the situation could become more complicated if broader talks developed between Russia and the European Union.

The conversation has drawn criticism in other Nordic countries. But comments by the prime ministers of Denmark and Sweden reflect close Nordic ties rather than a major divide between the countries, Aunesluoma said.

There has been public discussion during the war in Ukraine about appointing a shared European representative for talks with Russia. Stubb has sometimes been suggested for the role, including by Politico, but has previously rejected the idea. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also been mentioned in media reports.

Any choice of representative would need to take into account whom Russia is willing to talk to, Aunesluoma said, adding that Russia has shown little interest in talks with EU representatives or Europe as a whole. A role for Stubb could follow logically from the call, he said, but the issues to be discussed and Europe’s position on Ukraine negotiations would also need to be decided.