Putin spends 90 minutes lecturing Nordic leaders on history
Russian leader deviated from planned agenda during call with Finnish and Norwegian heads of state.
By Michael Bennett ·
Vladimir Putin dedicated nearly 90 minutes to explaining medieval Slavic history during a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on October 27. The conversation was intended to last less than 30 minutes.
Stubb told Finnish media that the call extended well beyond its scheduled duration. Instead of addressing the mechanics of ending the war, Putin focused on what the Kremlin labels the initial reasons for the conflict. He delivered a lengthy monologue regarding these root causes.
The immediate ceasefire, which Ukraine views as the primary requirement for starting peace talks, received minimal attention. Three sources familiar with the conversation stated that the discussion shifted away from practical steps toward de-escalation.
The Nordic leaders chose not to interrupt Putin during these historical asides. One source explained that they remained silent to determine how seriously the Russian leader viewed dialogue with Europe.
This was the first direct conversation between Putin and a European ally of Ukraine since July 2025. At that time, he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. The Kremlin's official account stated that Putin reminded Stubb and Støre of the war's root causes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Nordic leaders discussed steps to de-escalate the war, with a specific focus on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that the call was coordinated with the Ukrainian side.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed strong skepticism about the outcome. She noted that the call had not been coordinated with other European countries. In a separate incident in 2025, Putin gave a similar historical speech to US President Donald Trump in Alaska. Trump reacted with anger and threatened to leave the meeting.
