Confirmed: Stubb and Støre in conversation with Putin

It is Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb who initiated Tuesday's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is described as a follow-up to the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US envoy Steve Witkoff last week.

Stubb and Støre are said to have emphasized that the countries will continue their long-standing support for Ukraine. They also said that the war must end and that peace negotiations must resume.

- It was a direct and meaningful conversation. We are Russia's neighbor. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our security and that of Europe. Talks are needed to end the war, says Finnish President Alexander Stubb in a statement.

Norway's ditto takes over.

- This war comes with enormous human and material costs. The suffering and destruction will affect generations. In the conversation, we emphasized the importance of measures leading to a de-escalation of the war, he says.

Jonas Gahr Støre is currently in Finland, where a prime minister's meeting with the Norwegian leaders was held on Tuesday. Sweden's ditto Ulf Kristersson is also present.

Støre was also present in Helsinki last week during the meeting with Zelenskyj and Witkoff. It happened before Witkoff was to meet Vladimir Putin - a conversation in which Witkoff is said to have called the Russian leader a "humanitarian person".

The day after, Russia bombed a park in Kharkiv, killing six people.