Press secretary of the Russian dictator Dmitry Peskov said that Finland’s accession to NATO would be “another aggravation of the situation”, “an encroachment on our security”, in connection with which the Russian Federation would take “countermeasures”, the Russian propaganda agency TASS reported. Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that it was Russia’s actions that led to the expansion of NATO, and not vice versa, reports Sky News.
“The Kremlin believes that this is another aggravation of the situation, that NATO expansion is an encroachment on our security, the interests of the Russian Federation. This is exactly how we perceive it. We will take countermeasures on how to ensure our own security in tactical and strategic terms,” Peskov said. , adding that the countermeasures will be such as the Russian Federation “deems necessary.”
At the same time, he said that the situation with Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO “is very different from Finland,” which is already becoming a member of the Alliance.
Stoltenberg stressed that the dictator Vladimir Putin achieved “completely the opposite” of what he achieved by invading Ukraine. He wanted “less NATO at his borders”, but the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine pushed Finland to join the Alliance.
Putin has proved that he is “ready to use military force” against his neighbors, the secretary general said.
“It’s part of the pattern, and that’s why we’ve strengthened NATO, our readiness, our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. In fact, it was the invasion of Ukraine last year that led to the decision of Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership,” Stoltenberg said.
- Finland is expected to officially become a member of NATO today. This will be announced at the summit in Brussels.
- In addition, NATO foreign ministers will discuss in Brussels the issue of doubling commitments in the Ukraine Support Fund, which currently stands at about 250 million euros per year, to a target of 500 million euros.
