Two European leaders called Putin. Why did it cause such a stir?

A recent phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin by the leaders of Finland and Norway has surprised European allies and drawn sharp criticism from Denmark. The contact marked the first time Finnish President Alexander Stubb had spoken with Putin since taking office in early 2024, while Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store had not spoken with the Russian president since March 2022, more than four and a half years prior.

Following the call on Tuesday, Stubb characterized the exchange in a official statement, stating:

"The discussion was frank and substantive. We are