Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stรธre have finally done something that should have been happening throughout this entire war. They picked up the telephone and spoke directly with Vladimir Putin. On October 27, the two leaders initiated a conversation with the Russian president to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and restoring some degree of stability to Europe. What makes this development particularly significant is that Finland and Norway stated explicitly that they were acting as leaders of their own nations, rather than claiming to represent Europe as a whole. Imagine that. Two national leaders recognizing that they have a responsibility to protect their own people rather than waiting for Brussels to tell them whether they are permitted to speak to Moscow.
