Moscow –
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the joining of Sweden and Finland with NATO will not pose a threat to Russia. However, he warned Western alliances of Russia’s ‘response’ if there was a transfer of troops or weapons to its Nordic neighbour.
Reported from AFPTuesday (17/5/2022), Helsinki and Stockholm are ready to give up their military non-aligned attitude for fear that they will become targets for Russia’s attack which is now invading Ukraine.
Sweden’s Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, confirmed her country would apply to join NATOa day after Finland – which shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Russia – said the same.
Putin, who has sparked global outrage by attacking Ukraine, said the two countries’ moves would not pose an immediate threat to Russia.
“It does not pose a direct threat to us, but the expansion of military infrastructure to this region will definitely provoke our response,” Putin said.
Putin’s more moderate reaction contrasted sharply with comments from Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, who called Finland’s and Sweden’s wishes a “huge mistake with far-reaching consequences”.
The wishes of Finland and Sweden have not made any agreement with NATO. Moreover, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would block the wishes of Finland and Sweden by accusing Finland and Sweden of harboring terror groups, including outlawed Kurdish militants.
Sweden and Finland have failed to respond positively to Turkey’s 33 extradition requests over the past five years, a justice ministry source told the official news agency Anadolu.
Any offer of membership must be approved unanimously by the 30 NATO countries. However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced confidence Sweden and Finland would join NATO despite Turkey’s opposition.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will meet Blinken in Washington tomorrow. Cavusoglu is believed to have Ankara’s objections high on the agenda.
Also watch the video ‘Finland Wants to Join NATO, Breaks Relations with Russia’:
(haf/haf)
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