Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storr had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin at the request of Ukraine, claiming that Kiev wanted to open a communication channel with Moscow. Other European countries "were aware of the content" of the conversation, he said. "It was the first time that the European Union received a direct message from Russia about the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Baltic Sea," he added. Referring to a report by the Financial Times that claimed the history of the Slavs came up during the conversation, Staub called it "misinformation" and said the reports were "incorrect".

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storr had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin at the request of Ukraine, claiming that Kiev wanted to open a communication channel with Moscow. Other European countries "were aware of the content" of the conversation, he said. "It was the first time that the European Union received a direct message from Russia about the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Baltic Sea," he added. Referring to a report by the Financial Times that claimed the history of the Slavs came up during the conversation, Staub called it "misinformation" and said the reports were "incorrect".