Kyiv hopes for ‘new momentum’ in peace talks after Finnish and Norwegian leaders’ call with Putin – as it happened

And, on that note, we will be closing the blog for today.

• Finland’s influential president Alexander Stubb and Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute phone call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin as they continue attempts to break the deadlock in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine (10:41).

• Finland’s Stubb welcomed the “frank and substantive” phone call, insisting that “ending the war requires direct discussions” with Russia.

• Støre insisted “all our partners and allies were informed in advance” (13:43), despite scepticism or outright criticism from the Danish, Estonian, Polish and Swedish prime ministers (11:26, 14:03, 15:01, 15:53).

• But he conceded that “there remain significant differences in our respective positions.”

• Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for “real de-escalatory steps” in the conflict after his debrief with the two Nordic leaders (11:55).

• Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed the call was “coordinated” with Ukraine and said he hoped for “a new momentum” on peace talks with Russia (16:27).

• But the Kremlin readout revealed that Russia’s Vladimir Putin blamed the EU and Nato for “confrontational policies” and demanded “full and unconditional recognition of the legitimate interests of the Russian Federation” (11:53).

• The phone call took place just hours after a localised ceasefire kicked in the Ukrainian city of Oreshky after intense calls for humanitarian aid to be made available to the city’s residents (9:55, 17:08).

Elsewhere,

• Wes Streeting, the UK defence secretary, has warned that Russia’s Vladimir Putin is “testing us and testing Nato’s resolve” as he condemned hybrid threats and “state-sponsored terrorism” from Russia (12:05).

• Romania has summoned the Russian ambassador today, blaming Moscow for a recent fire at the state-owned Carfil defence plant in Brașov (16:10).

• The Netherlands has dropped (again) from the 2027 Eurovision song contest amid “sensitivities” over Israel’s participation in the competition (12:35).

If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.

I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.

The US first lady, Melania Trump, has issued a brief statement confirming the humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, Ukraine, which she was involved in organising.

In a statement, she said “timing was accelerated two days ahead of schedule to protect the safety of civilians and to facilitate the delivery of critical humanitarian aid.”

She also added that “the ceasefire’s geographic area has expanded beyond Oleshky, within the Kherson Region, to provide safe passage for the humanitarian convoys.”

Ukraine’s Sybiha has also pushed back against suggestions that it’s not a good moment for having a call with Putin.

“If you are at war, every decision, every step which support peace efforts is always timely. So that’s why we welcome such type of steps, efforts to speed up our negotiations.”

He also added that the European channel should not be seen as “the alternative” for the US-led talks, but “a supplementary track.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has confirmed the Finnish and Norwegian call with Putin was coordinated with Ukraine, saying it was “the right approach” to any engagement with Putin.

Speaking alongside Finnish and Norwegian foreign ministers in Helsinki, Sybiha said:

“We welcome such active support for our diplomatic efforts and peace process. This call was, as it was mentioned, coordinated with us, and this is the right approach. … I will say this once again, Ukraine wants to end this war. We have doable proposals and solutions. We are ready for partial ceasefires and a full end to hostilities. Of course, everything needs to be fair. We will not take any one-sided steps.”

Sybiha said that Ukraine was looking for “a new momentum” in peace talks with Russia, and to “define new role for Europe in our peace efforts.”

“So president Zelenskyy shared with his vision which signals our friends should convey directly to the Putin, and these signals were conveyed. Ceasefire … and another signal meeting with Putin. We are ready to meet with him. … Probably the only way to get …. new quality in our talks is a meeting at the level of president Zelenskyy and Putin.”

He later said that the negotiators can only discuss things up to a certain level, but key decisions can only be made by the heads of states.

He also added that Kyiv was “ready for the trilateral meeting” in the UAE next month, and “we will use every opportunity to bring peace closer.”

He also welcomed the limited ceasefire in Oleshky, saying it could “pave the way for other steps in the peace process as a confidence-building measure.”

But conceded that “the reality on the ground in Ukraine remains very tough” as a result of relentless Russian strikes.

Romania has summoned the Russian ambassador today, blaming Moscow for a fire at the state-owned Carfil defence plant in Brașov.

The fire damaged the premises of several commercial entities. Three people are being investigated for their involvement in the incident.

The Romanian security intelligence SRI confirmed yesterday that it had “identified a coordinated sabotage network from the Russian Federation” to be behind the arson attack, with “other attempts on targets in Romania. including international military facilities or those used for training the Ukrainian armed forces.”

Foreign minister Dan Neculăescu said in a post on X:

“MFA Romania summoned the Russian Ambassador today to convey a firm protest over the September 14th sabotage in Brașov. Evidence proves Russia’s responsibility for this unacceptable hybrid attack.

We also condemned Russia’s systematic strikes on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, a deliberate escalation violating international law and freedom of navigation, with global consequences.”

Earlier today, Romania’s president, Nicușor Dan, condemned the incident, calling it “a grave violation” of Romania’s sovereignty.

“Let it be clear: these are not isolated, unrelated incidents; rather, they are part of a premeditated and coordinated campaign aimed at sowing division within our societies and undermining the commitment of European states to their own security and to collective defence.

We must not delude ourselves regarding the nature of this threat. This hybrid war has been ongoing for years, manifesting in various forms, all with the same objective: to weaken European states from within and erode the solidarity among them.”

Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, does not seem to be convinced by the idea of talking to Putin either.

In a post on X, he said:

“Only increased pressure on Russia will make it take peace negotiations seriously.

Every contact with Russia must convey Europe’s unity and determination to support Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia, while making clear that Europe will not negotiate away the fundamental principles underpinning its security.

Ukraine wants peace, and Estonia supports all efforts to achieve it. But there is no indication that Russia has changed its strategic objectives or is genuinely interested in negotiations.

Russia’s goal is not merely to seize parts of Ukraine, but to subjugate the entire country and undermine Europe’s security order, founded on NATO and the EU.

A just and lasting peace requires increased pressure on Russia, tighter sanctions, action against sanctions evasion, Russia’s international isolation and unwavering support for Ukraine. We must show Russia through concrete action that, as long as its war continues, pressure will remain strong and Ukraine’s supporters will not abandon it.”

Sweden’s prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has insisted that any peace “must be achieved on Ukraine’s terms,” joining a growing chorus of sceptical voices after an earlier call between Finland and Norway’s leaders and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Talking to reporters, Kristersson said that any peace settlement “must be brought about through strength, and not through appeasement towards Russia.”

“If talks lead to that, then talks are good. But my experience so far – based on the reports we received from German and French attempts at dialogue [with Moscow] – is that the results have been very, very modest.”

Kristersson added that given Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, “I see nothing to suggest that they are seeking peace.”

“But we will surely receive an update on those discussions later today, and I am interested in that,” he said.

German chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that attempts by ⁠the US and Russia to end the war in Ukraine “can never find solutions without Ukraine” ⁠and said any ⁠talks ​must also include European countries.

Merz was speaking at the Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore as ⁠he described diplomatic efforts to build a negotiating format with Moscow.

He said the end of ⁠the war depended “only on one person” and framed continued backing ​for Kyiv as a ‌defence of Europe’s political ‌order.

He said “as long as he [Putin] does not want ‌to end the war, we will support Ukraine” and that Europe was not just defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity but also “the entire political order of the European continent”.

Merz added that Russia, Ukraine, the United States and European countries ‌should be at the negotiating table and warned against a scenario where “Russia, perhaps China and the ​United States of America” end the war without Ukraine.

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has also responded to Stubb and Støre’s engagement with Putin, giving a detailed account on the European consultations ahead of and after the call.

Speaking before the cabinet meeting in Warsaw, Tusk said the call followed “consultations with me, among others, but primarily with president Zelenskyy and the US side … that it would be good for European politicians to have a working contact given the planned ceasefire talks that may take place in Abu Dhabi.”

He said the UAE talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US are provisionally planned for 4 November.

Tusk confirmed he had been briefed on plans for the call beforehand, with Norway’s Støre assuring him that he and Stubb were ready to take political responsibility for this rare engagement with Putin, and would stick to the agreed position of the coalition of the willing.

He said Finland’s Stubb then briefed him after the call, saying “both sides maintained their positions,” and that “the European side’s impression during the call was one of very restrained optimism” about the chances of making progress in Abu Dhabi.

Tusk said he was “very cautions” about engaging with Russia and urged Stubb and Store to be “vigilant” in their talks with Putin, as “Russia’s agenda and interests are quite precisely defined, and that one should harbour any illusions about getting an agreement.”

He said Stubb and Støre also told Putin that the security of Nato’s northern and eastern flanks were “non-negotiable”.

Poland’s PM also stressed that despite the resumed dialogue, “nothing changes” in Europe’s “full support for Ukraine,” or collective views on “the [broader] security architecture and security guarantees for Ukraine.”

Summing up the talks, he said:

“We should not have any illussions; it is clear what the Russian side is playing at, but I will remain in constant contact with all those who possess the good will and the belief that an agreement is possible – or at the very least, a ceasefire before winter.”

Without specifying the source of his claim, Tusk said that “three, four nights ago,” “Russia lost 2,500 men” during one night. “This gives us an idea of ​​just how dire the further consequences of this war could be.”

Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre has offered a bit more colour on his and Stubb’s call with Russia’s Putin in a huddle with journalists in Helsinki just now.

He and Stubb had been initially given only 20 minutes to talk to Putin, but ended up speaking for 90 minutes, in a conversation he described as “substantive, focused on the issues at hand, and professional.”

“Much of what he said was already known – he [Putin] recalled his views on how the conflict evolved since 2014 – and we stated our positions. These are well-known views, which we were able to acknowledge and respond to,” he said.

The talks touched on what can be done to tackle most pressing issues, including attacks on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea.

But Støre conceded “there remain significant differences in our respective positions,” reiterating Norway’s continued support for Ukraine.

“We stand with Ukraine, defend its right to self-defence, and emphasise the need for a diplomatic path to end this war in a lasting and just manner,” he said.

Støre also stressed that he and Finland’s Stubb spoke on behalf of their two countries only, “and no one else.”

Responding to criticism of their call from Denmark’s Frederiksen (11:26), he said that “all our partners and allies were informed in advance and received a detailed account afterwards.”

Pushing back further, he added:

“If one assumes that the current situation – where communication from the American administration to Moscow serves as the sole channel for discussing Ukraine outside of Ukraine – is the only way, then one is entitled to that view. I believe it is important that other voices are heard as well.”

Støre also stressed that the importance of the meeting in Abu Dhabi, first agreed as a result of the Oslo consultations that he and Stubb hosted.

In a brief section of the briefing in English, Støre again focused on pushing back against Frederiksen’s criticism:

“I believe that talking, having the right messages, is not wrong. Today these messages [are] coming out of the American administration; that is the only thing reaching Moscow. So [now] there are [also] voices from two neighbouring states, speaking on behalf of Finland and Norway, not speaking on behalf of others, but … in full compliance with the coalition of the willing who share view on the nature of this war and how it has to end.”

Russia is exploring the possibility ⁠of ⁠cooperation with ​partners from the ⁠United States in the resource-rich ⁠Arctic, president ​Vladimir ‌Putin ‌told a conference ‌of gas-exporting countries in Moscow.

Putin did not specify ‌whether the joint projects under consideration ​would involve extracting natural gas ⁠or other resources.

Three tankers carrying Russian diesel are en route to the United States, with a fourth expected to depart Wednesday, Moscow said, part of a deal that triggered a fierce Ukrainian and European backlash.

US president Donald Trump this month struck an agreement with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin to ease sanctions in exchange for Moscow releasing diesel onto global markets.

The measure was seen as an attempt to lower fuel prices for American consumers ahead of the US midterm legislative elections on 3 November and drew sharp criticism from Ukraine and its allies.

“At present, three tankers” with Russian fuel are on their way to the United States, Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Tuesday. A fourth was expected to set off on Wednesday, he added.

The first US-bound tanker with Russian diesel departed last week. According to data from the maritime tracking firm Kpler, it loaded nearly 300,000 barrels of diesel at the Primorsk terminal and was headed to New York.

In other news, the Netherlands has dropped (again) from the 2027 Eurovision song contest as public broadcaster NPO reversed its plans to pick up the baton after another broadcaster pulled out in August.

The withdrawal is linked with “sensitivities” over Israel’s participation in the competition, NPO’s media director Jurre Bosman said, acknowledging the issue continues to “elicit various reactions in society and causes discussion and division.”

“Therefore, after consultation with the Board of Broadcasters, the NPO has decided to forgo participation in 2027,” he added.

This is the second time a Dutch broadcaster has dropped out of the competition: in August, the Avrotros, which usually selects the Dutch entry and broadcasts the show, had pulled out, paving the way for NPO to step in.

Ireland and Spain have also declared they will not take part in the 2027 competiton because of Israel’s involvement, and the Czech Republic pulled out over financial constraints. Iceland and Slovenia also didn’t take part.

The 2027 Eurovision song contest will take place in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas, after singer Darina Yotova, performing as Dara, won this year’s contest in Austria with “Bangaranga”.