Putin defends call with Nordic leaders after Frederiksen’s criticism

Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended his phone call on Tuesday with Finnish and Norwegian leaders, calling the initiative reasonable despite criticism from Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday following a Russia-Africa summit, Mr Putin said Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had contacted him in their national capacities, not on behalf of the EU and warned that while Russia…