Støre Disputes FT Account of Putin Call: Equal Speaking Time

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for roughly equal amounts of time during a three-way call held on Tuesday, October 27. This assertion directly contradicts a report published by the Financial Times, which alleged that the Kremlin leader spent nearly the entire duration of the conversation providing historical context for the war.

The phone conference also included Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The leaders aimed to identify opportunities for de-escalation and create a European channel for dialogue. Støre addressed the discrepancy in accounts in an interview with the Norwegian media outlet TV 2. He described the Financial Times characterization as inaccurate and noted that the newspaper had been asked to correct the record.

"That is not true. And we asked the Financial Times to correct this information, as it does not correspond to reality," Støre said. He explained that while Putin requested to outline his view of the current situation, he reviewed history from 2014 to the present day within that framework. Støre pushed back against the narrative that Putin delivered a lengthy lecture on Slavic history, calling that specific claim untrue.

Regarding the balance of the conversation, Støre noted that the call lasted one and a half hours. He pointed out that an interpreter was present, meaning a portion of the total time was consumed by translation. He believed the remaining speaking time was distributed fairly evenly because both sides set out their positions and requested feedback from the others.

The Financial Times has rejected the need for changes. A spokesperson for the paper told the Norwegian newspaper VG that the outlet stands by its journalism. The FT stated it does not wish to comment further on the matter or clarify the sources behind its reporting.

European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed that the commission was informed about the call in advance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the diplomatic efforts on October 28. He said the conversation indicated Russia is serious about meeting negotiating teams in Abu Dhabi. He added that a planned trilateral meeting of technical teams from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in early November depends on the American side.

Støre’s comments serve to clarify the dynamic of the three-way call between Oslo, Helsinki, and Moscow. The dispute centers on the extent of Putin's monologue versus a reciprocal exchange of positions. The FT maintains its original account, while the Norwegian leadership insists the time split was balanced.