Støre demands a correction from the Financial Times - the newspaper refuses

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb have received widespread criticism for their telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

According to the Nordic leaders, the purpose of the conversation was to examine the possibilities for de-escalation in Ukraine and to establish a channel between Europe and Russia.

But three anonymous sources tell The Financial Times that the 90-minute conversation was dominated by a long-winded exposition from the Russian president about what he considers to be "the root causes of the conflict".

Among other things, he is said to have devoted a large part of the conversation to medieval Slavic history. However, the possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine was not discussed at all, say the sources.

The information has caused the Norwegian head of government to react.

- It is wrong. And we have asked the Financial Times to correct it, because it is not correct, says Støre to TV2.

But Støre does not deny that there has been a history lesson, it is the era he believes is wrongly reproduced. Putin is said to have talked about his view of what has happened since 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula.

- That he would talk about Slavic history - that is simply not true, says the prime minister.

The criticism of Støre's and Stubb's initiative has partly been about them going behind the backs of their European colleagues, which Mette Frederiksen expressed publicly, for example, and partly about peace talks with Putin being pointless. Russia has shown no sign of willingness to compromise.

The Financial Times writes that the conversation was actually planned to last just under half an hour, but that it dragged on considerably. Støre also denies that claim.

- We had an hour and a half. There is an interpreter, so there is some interpretation. So I think the time was pretty evenly distributed. But it was also because we presented messages on which we asked for feedback, he tells TV2.

However, the British newspaper refuses to meet Støre and tells Norwegian VG that it does not intend to make any changes.

- We stand by our journalism, says a spokesperson to the newspaper.