Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said progress had been made towards a possible peace deal between Ukraine and Russia after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo on Tuesday.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Stubb described the meeting as a “good day for peace” while cautioning that negotiations would require patience as the war continues to claim lives.
“In my experience, peace requires patience. But unfortunately war does not wait. People are dying each and every day. I think today was a step in the right direction,” Stubb said.
The summit was organised by Store at Zelensky’s request to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and the wider security situation in Europe, according to a statement from the Office of the President of Finland.
Stubb said on Wednesday that establishing negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States was essential to moving the peace process forward. He also highlighted the importance of security guarantees from Washington for Ukraine, an issue likely to play a central role in discussions about any potential settlement.
The diplomatic talks came as Stubb addressed Finland’s changing security environment at an event organised by the Atlantic Council of Finland at the University of Helsinki. His speech focused on the country’s defence priorities and its evolving relationship with the United States.
“There is no going back to the old transatlantic relationship. It has changed, but we don’t know exactly how,” Stubb said.
Despite the changes, he stressed that Finland needed to maintain close ties with Washington in defence, government administration and diplomacy. His remarks reflected the importance Helsinki places on its relationship with the United States as European countries assess the security implications of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Stubb also warned against underestimating Russia’s military capabilities, particularly its technological development during the full-scale invasion. He said both Russian and Ukrainian forces had gained significant technological experience during the conflict.
“While there has sometimes been a tendency to look down on the Russian defense forces, we must remember that they have the same technological experience as Ukraine,” he said.
The Oslo meeting followed a difficult week in relations between Washington and Kyiv, particularly between Trump and Zelensky. The disagreements have raised questions about the level of US support for Ukraine and the direction of diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Last week, Trump criticised Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, describing them as a “disgrace”. He also said Zelensky was “more difficult to deal with than [Russian President Vladimir] Putin”.
The tensions came amid controversy over a reported arrangement involving Russian diesel supplies to US and global markets following a temporary easing of sanctions. Ukraine also accused the United States of withholding intelligence about incoming Russian attacks, alleging that the lack of information was contributing to Ukrainian deaths.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Zelensky said Trump was pressuring Ukraine to surrender to Russia. The allegations and disagreements highlighted the challenges facing efforts to bring the two sides towards a negotiated settlement.
However, the tone at Tuesday’s press conference in Oslo was more positive. Stubb later told Finnish reporters that the situation had improved considerably compared with the previous week. He also said Europe and the United States were now aligned in their approach to the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky said he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier on Tuesday. He also reported that the early warning system for Russian strikes was functioning again and reiterated his willingness to negotiate, calling for trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.
Following the Oslo summit, Witkoff travelled to St Petersburg on Wednesday for further discussions with Russian officials. The Russian delegation was believed to include President Vladimir Putin. Store said Witkoff would present a Western proposal for ending the war during the meeting.
Stubb expressed cautious optimism about the renewed diplomatic activity, while acknowledging that the next stage would depend on Russia’s response.
“I believe the process is back on track, and we are working together with our European friends,” he said. “What matters most is what kind of message Steve Witkoff receives in St. Petersburg. Today was a successful day, and tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully there won’t be a setback tomorrow.”
Witkoff and Trump’s other special envoy, Jared Kushner, who is also the president’s son-in-law, previously met Putin in Moscow in September. Those discussions did not produce concrete results, despite Trump saying beforehand that his envoys would bring a proposal intended to end the war.
The latest diplomatic meetings have renewed attention on the prospects for negotiations, but key questions remain over the terms of any agreement, Ukraine’s future security and the guarantees the United States would be prepared to provide. Stubb’s remarks in Oslo and Helsinki underscored the need to turn diplomatic engagement into concrete steps towards ending the fighting.
