Danish PM leads European fury after Finland and Norway break ranks to hold a rare direct call with Putin
Devastation in Russian-occupied Oleshky, where a local ceasefire took effect at 3am to clear the way for an aid mission for the 6,000 people, including 200 children, trapped and desperately short of food and medicine.Melania Trump as Ukraine's Dmytro Lubinets said Kyiv is honouring its commitments despite Russian missiles striking the city's Southern Bridge and metro infrastructure the same morning the truce…
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute call with Putin from Helsinki on Tuesday, telling him directly that "ending the war requires direct discussions" ahead of planned US-Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi next month. The Kremlin showed no sign of softening, insisting a "just and lasting peace" was only possible if Russia's interests were "fully and unconditionally" taken into account. Stubb and Støre called Zelensky immediately afterwards, and Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed the outreach had been coordinated with Kyiv.
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said the call was 'not coordinated with the rest of us' and warned against 'giving Putin an opportunity he did not have until a few hours ago'.
Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson said he had been given no advance notice and held low expectations; Estonia's foreign minister demanded only 'increased pressure' on Russia.
A local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, which would evacuate around 2,000 trapped civilians, appeared to be holding on Tuesday — reportedly requested by Melania Trump.
