Vladimir Putin says "taking into account the realities on the ground" is needed to end Ukraine war

On Tuesday, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere called Vladimir Putin to press for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, departing from Western leaders’ usual avoidance of direct contact with Moscow. The call was tied to planned Russian-Ukrainian-US talks in Abu Dhabi next month. According to the Kremlin’s account, Putin showed no sign of softening and stressed Russian interests while criticizing EU and NATO policies. A source close to the Kremlin said his remark about ending the war meant Moscow would not compromise on its objective of capturing all of Ukraine’s Donbas region; the Nordic leaders responded that a just peace was required. The initiative drew mixed European reactions, with some leaders warning against solo outreach and stressing Ukraine’s role.