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A call between Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre lasted nearly 90 minutes, rather than the planned half-hour, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. Donald Trump said a meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could happen “very soon,” while Zelensky said talks in Abu Dhabi may address de-escalation, prisoners and a possible leaders’ meeting.
A call between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre lasted nearly 90 minutes, rather than the planned half-hour, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. The reported discussion came as U.S. President Donald Trump said a meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could happen “very soon,” though he gave no date or location.
The Financial Times reported that Putin spoke at length about the history of the Slavs during the call. The Kremlin’s press service said Putin “assessed the current situation in the conflict zone in Ukraine, recalling its root causes.” The FT also reported that the leaders did not discuss an immediate ceasefire. The accounts describe different aspects of the conversation: the Kremlin gave its summary, while the reported duration and lack of ceasefire discussion came from the newspaper’s sources.
Zelensky said the call had left him with “a sense that the Russians are serious about meeting in Abu Dhabi.” He said the expected agenda could include de-escalation steps in the energy sector and at sea, along with the exchange and return of prisoners. He also said there was hope of discussing how a meeting among national leaders might be arranged.
Trump told reporters he expected a trilateral summit to make “a lot of progress,” but did not identify when or where it might be held. Separately, Euronews reported that European Union representatives planned to attend the Abu Dhabi talks, with a delegation led by Björn Seibert, head of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s cabinet. That would bring U.S., Ukrainian, Russian and EU representatives into the same format, according to the broadcaster.
A Possible Route to Direct Talks
The proposed discussions could open a channel for addressing practical measures during the war, including prisoner returns and steps to reduce risks to energy infrastructure and shipping. Those topics, as described by Zelensky, are narrower than a full peace settlement and do not establish that the parties have agreed to halt fighting.
The possibility of a leaders’ meeting also puts pressure on governments to decide who speaks for Europe and what role the bloc would have. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized Stubb and Støre for making the call without coordinating it with other EU countries. Stubb replied that the two Nordic leaders had spoken as leaders of their own countries, not as representatives of Europe. The disagreement highlights that the diplomatic format remains unsettled even as possible talks take shape.
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Dispute Over Europe’s Representation
The call took place as European Union representatives considered who might represent the bloc in discussions with Russia. Stubb has been named as a possible candidate, with his relationship with Trump cited as one factor. But his conversation with Putin and Støre drew a public objection from Frederiksen, who said the initiative had not been coordinated with the rest of the EU.
Stubb and Støre defended the call on national rather than EU-wide grounds. Stubb said they “held the conversation in our capacity as leaders of our respective countries, not as representatives of Europe.” Meanwhile, the reported Abu Dhabi format may include EU officials alongside American, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. Euronews described such a gathering as the first of its kind since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began; that characterization is the broadcaster’s report.
““We held the conversation in our capacity as leaders of our respective countries, not as representatives of Europe.””
— Finnish President Alexander Stubb
Summit Plans Still Lack Details
No date, venue or confirmed participant list has been announced for a Putin-Zelensky-Trump meeting. Trump’s remarks express an expectation, not a formal schedule. Zelensky’s comments indicate that Abu Dhabi talks are being considered, but the source material does not confirm that all parties have agreed to attend or establish the final agenda.
It is also unclear whether the reported Abu Dhabi discussions would produce specific commitments, or whether a leaders’ meeting would follow. The call’s duration and the account of its discussion are attributed to Financial Times sources; the Kremlin’s public statement was broader and did not confirm every detail reported by the newspaper.
Abu Dhabi Talks Are the Next Test
The next reported step is the possible meeting in Abu Dhabi, where Zelensky said officials could discuss energy and maritime de-escalation, prisoner exchanges and the format for a leaders’ meeting. EU participation may add another diplomatic channel, though the bloc’s representation has been contested.
Officials have not provided a confirmed timetable or published final terms for the talks. Whether the proposed discussions lead to a summit, practical agreements or further meetings remains to be seen.
Key Questions
How long did Putin’s call with Stubb and Støre last?
It lasted nearly 90 minutes, according to sources cited by the Financial Times, although the call had been planned for about half an hour.
Did Trump confirm a date for a meeting with Putin and Zelensky?
No. Trump said such a meeting could happen “very soon” and predicted progress, but did not specify a date or location.
What could be discussed in Abu Dhabi?
Zelensky said the potential agenda could include de-escalation in the energy sector and at sea, prisoner exchanges and the format for a possible meeting of national leaders.
Will the European Union take part?
Euronews reported that an EU delegation planned to attend, led by Björn Seibert. The source material does not give a final confirmed participant list, and EU representation has drawn disagreement among European leaders.
Source: rss
