In brief
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen disagreed over a joint Norwegian‑Finnish call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Store said Norway had consulted its partners, while Frederiksen accused the initiative of lacking coordination with Denmark and other allies.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke on Thursday about their differing views on a joint Norwegian‑Finnish call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that took place earlier that week.
Store told the Norwegian business daily Dagens Naeringsliv that he and Frederiksen had a “good phone conversation” and had agreed “that we have different views” on the call. The disagreement centered on a 90‑minute conversation between Store, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Putin that unfolded on Tuesday.
Frederiksen criticized the initiative, saying it had not been coordinated with Denmark or other European allies. Store rejected the criticism, asserting that Norway’s key partners and allies had been consulted beforehand and briefed afterward. According to a statement from the Norwegian prime minister’s office, the call with Putin took place in consultation with Ukraine and followed talks in Oslo on Oct. 20. It focused on diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine and promote peace and stability in Europe.
Store told Dagens Naeringsliv, “We had a good phone conversation yesterday and agreed that we have different views on that particular call.”
