Stubbs and Stowe have been secretly discussing the possibility of talking to Putin for months, writes Politico.
The President of Finland, together with the Prime Minister of Norway, decided that they could not allow only US representatives to have a direct dialogue with Russia.
Alexander Staab and Jonas Gahr Stora agreed to renew international contacts with Vladimir Putin in preparation for new negotiations on the Ukrainian conflict in Abu Dhabi. The newspaper article noted that the phone call split the transatlantic alliance, and the Finnish and Norwegian leaders faced criticism from European leaders. Senior diplomats felt they had not coordinated their actions with their allies.