Nordic Call: Putin Spends 90 Minutes on Medieval History

Russian President Vladimir Putin spent nearly 90 minutes lecturing Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on medieval Slavic history during a phone call on October 27.

The conversation was intended to last less than 30 minutes. Instead, it dragged on as the Kremlin leader focused on what the Russian state calls the "initial reasons for the conflict" with Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Nordic leaders discussed de-escalation steps, particularly regarding Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. However, three sources familiar with the call told the Financial Times that the prospect of an immediate ceasefire, Ukraine's primary demand for starting peace talks, was barely discussed.

The Nordic leaders deliberately did not interrupt Putin’s historical asides. One source explained that they wanted to observe how seriously the Russian leader was approaching dialogue with Europe.

This was the first direct conversation between the Kremlin leader and a European ally of Ukraine since July 2025, when Putin spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. The Kremlin’s account of the call stated that Putin reminded Stubb and Støre of the "root causes" of the war.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed high skepticism about the outcome, noting the call had not been coordinated with other European countries. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that the Ukrainian side was aware of the discussions.

In 2025, during a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, Putin delivered a similar lengthy historical speech about Ukraine. Trump was displeased and threatened to leave the room. The next scheduled step in European diplomatic efforts remains unclear, though the Nordic leaders will likely report their findings to other European counterparts.