Putin says EU, NATO 'confrontational' policy dragging out Ukraine war
13:54, 27/10/2026, TuesdayU: Update: 13:59, 27/10/2026, Tuesday
AFP
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday accused EU and NATO countries of prolonging the Ukraine war through their "confrontational" policy during a telephone call with the leaders of Finland and Norway, agreeing to maintain direct contact going forward, the Kremlin said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday told the leaders of Finland and Norway that the European Union and NATO are dragging out the Ukraine war through confrontational policies, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Phone diplomacy
During the telephone conversation, the Kremlin said that "attention was drawn to the confrontational policy of the EU and NATO countries, which is leading to a protraction of hostilities," accusing Western powers of fueling the conflict. The statement emphasized that such policies exacerbate regional tensions rather than facilitating resolution.
The three leaders also "agreed to continue maintaining direct contact by telephone," according to the Kremlin. The agreement preserves diplomatic channels between Moscow and the Nordic capitals amid ongoing hostilities.
Alliance expansion
Finland joined NATO in April 2023, abandoning decades of military non-alignment following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Norway has been a founding member of the alliance since 1949, sharing a land border with Russia in the Arctic.