Norway’s Støre doubts Putin wants peace ahead of Abu Dhabi talks

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said he has seen no sign that Vladimir Putin is genuinely open to a peace deal, according to politico.eu. In an interview published on 9 November, Støre urged caution ahead of Russian, Ukrainian and US talks scheduled for 10–11 November in Abu Dhabi.

• Støre called the Abu Dhabi meeting a stepping stone and said it should lead to follow-up talks soon.
• Possible agenda items include ceasefires, a front-line freeze, prisoner swaps and security guarantees, he said.
• France says it will take part, though its representative had not been named.

What Støre expects from the Abu Dhabi talks

Støre said he would be cautious about what the meeting could deliver. He described Abu Dhabi as “a stepping stone” and said one outcome should be another round of talks “quite soon after.” The negotiating teams from Moscow and Kyiv are due to meet with the United States on 10 and 11 November; POLITICO described it as the first three-way meeting since February.

Støre’s judgment about Putin was based on his own assessment. He argued that if Putin had wanted peace, the war would not have begun or continued, and said he had seen no signs “so far” of genuine openness to a deal. At the same time, he said Putin’s willingness to take a call signalled at least a readiness to sit down. Sending a team to Abu Dhabi and delivering nothing would carry a cost, Støre said.

Støre described his 90-minute conversation with Putin as professional and rational. He rejected reports that Putin lectured him and Finland’s president on Slavic history during the call, saying: “I was present. He didn’t.” On 27 October, Støre and Finland’s president contacted Putin directly. Støre said he believed European voices should reach Moscow with an explanation of how and why Europe supports Ukraine.

How Europe will take part in the negotiations

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France would take part in the Abu Dhabi discussions, but he could not yet identify its representative, The Kyiv Independent reported. Barrot told RTL that no agreement affecting Europe’s security architecture could be conceived or discussed without European involvement. The Kremlin said it would send senior diplomats and military officials.

European influence in talks between Kyiv and Moscow has been limited, with representation varying between national representatives and the European Commission, The Kyiv Independent reported. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for a dedicated EU envoy. European Council President Antonio Costa backed organizing EU participation around a unified message, European interests and support for Ukraine.

What European participation could mean

The competing calls for European representation reflect the stakes Barrot identified: any agreement affecting Europe’s security architecture would involve European interests. Støre said that architecture should be addressed after the war and should not be decided by Russia. The planned meeting brings Moscow, Kyiv and Washington to the table, while European participation is also expected; the sources do not establish what the talks will produce.