On the Day It Called Putin, Norway Also Announced Aid to Restore Ukraine’s Power Supply
Norway's prime minister and Finland's president called Vladimir Putin together. On the same day, Norway's energy minister announced in Kyiv that his country would provide 500 million Norwegian kroner to help restore Ukraine's damaged energy facilities. Read together, the two October 27 announcements show that direct talks with Russia are continuing alongside efforts to help Ukraine get through the winter. Finnish president's office: statement on the call, Norwegian government's energy-aid announcement
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin from Helsinki. Their official statement specified that the call had been discussed with Ukraine. They said they had conveyed a message about negotiations to end the war as the leaders of two countries bordering Russia, and had not spoken on behalf of Europe as a whole. Office of the President of Finland, Norwegian prime minister's office
The call followed their October 20 meeting in Oslo and concerned forthcoming negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Reuters reported that Støre spoke with Putin for about 90 minutes before calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They were opening a direct channel to Putin while maintaining contact with Ukraine. Official statement, Reuters' account of the calls
Russia's demands, made public after the call, remained uncompromising. In the text of his address to the Nordic Council that day, Stubb said there had been nothing unexpected in Putin's position. He said they had told Putin that Russia could not wear them down and that they would continue supporting Ukraine. In the Kremlin statement quoted by Reuters, Putin maintained his position that peace required Russia's interests to be fully and unconditionally taken into account. Stubb's official speech, Reuters' reporting on Russia's statement
European leaders were not united in their support. German public broadcaster Tagesschau reported that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had questioned Russia's willingness to make peace and criticized the initiative, saying Europe should act together rather than individually. Støre said partners and allies had been informed in advance. Reuters also carried Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's statement that other European leaders had not been told about the call. Tagesschau, Reuters
Norway's aid announcement gives concrete evidence of where its support lay that day. During his visit to Kyiv, Energy Minister Terje Aasland said Norway would provide 500 million kroner in November and December. The money will go through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, within this year's Nansen Support Programme budget. Ukraine will set its most urgent priorities, and the funding is intended to provide equipment to repair damaged facilities. Norwegian energy and foreign ministries' announcement
The visit also brought the signing of an amended energy-cooperation agreement. Alongside reconstruction, energy storage and distributed generation, it provides for Norway to learn from Ukraine's experience of protecting facilities during war and restoring electricity after attacks. Officials from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate also took part in the visit. The cooperation goes beyond a donor providing money to a recipient: Norway seeks to use Ukraine's accumulated crisis-response experience to protect its own electricity facilities. Norwegian energy ministry's explanation of the agreement
EEJE Editorial Analysis: The two leaders pressed Putin for negotiations to end the war, while Norway pursued both equipment support to protect Ukraine's winter electricity supply and an agreement to learn from Ukraine's recovery experience. On the same day, they combined direct dialogue with Russia and support that strengthens Ukraine's ability to endure. Purpose of the call, Energy assistance, Details of the agreement