Finland and Sweden have dismissed warnings of “serious military and political impact” from neighboring Russia when they join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Both countries are part of the European Union, but not NATO. However, they work closely with Brock, and above all, allow allied troops to exercise on their lands.
Neither had previously shown a keen interest in joining NATO, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is now being considered by both countries regarding joining an alliance to prevent potential invasion of Russia. It aroused speculation that it was.
But Russian Foreign Minister spokesman Maria Zakharova warned on Friday that they would face “serious military and political consequences.”
“Finland and Sweden should not be assured on the basis of compromising the security of other countries, and accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face military and political consequences,” she said. Said. Video clip.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also doubled its stance in a statement posted on Twitter on Friday.
“We see the Finnish Government’s commitment to non-aligned military policies as an important factor in ensuring the security and stability of Northern Europe. Finland’s accession to NATO is serious military and political. It has a great effect. ” Post said..
However, Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Harbist dismissed the warning on Saturday, saying “I’ve heard this before.”
“I don’t think it requires a military threat,” Harvist said in an interview with the Finnish public broadcaster YLE.
“If Finland is NATO’s foreign border, it would rather mean that Russia would certainly take it into account in its own defense program. No such new thing is found.” Harvist spoke of Zakarowa’s comments.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö reiterated Harvist’s comments in a statement to the Finnish media on Friday, not considering Zakarowa’s comments as a direct military threat from Moscow to Finland, and Russia if Finland joined NATO. He said it was a “countermeasure”.
Niinistö made similar comments on the possibility of Finland’s accession to NATO in the past, both by Zakarowa and Russian Foreign Minister Sergeĭ Viklov, and similar in 2016 while Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Finland. He said in his tone that he had tackled this issue.
Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson addressed a Moscow statement at a joint news conference with Swedish military commander Michael Byden on Friday.
“I want to be very clear. Sweden itself decides its own security policy line,” Anderson said.
Anderson too announcement On Sunday, Sweden will send military aid to Ukraine, including 5,000 anti-tank weapons, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 135,000 field distributions.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24th. Prior to the invasion, Moscow refused to join the United States and its allies to NATO in Ukraine and other former Soviet nations, and urged NATO members to reduce the deployment of troops in Central and Eastern Europe.
On Friday, NATO activated its response force for the first time in history.
“We have deployed defense army and air force in the eastern part of the alliance and maritime assets throughout the NATO region,” the alliance said in a press release.
“We condemn Russia’s total invasion of Ukraine made possible by Belarus in the strongest possible terms. We immediately stopped its military attack on Russia and everything from Ukraine. Demands that the troops be withdrawn, and that it return from the path of aggression of its choice, “NATO said.
Under NATO rules, an attack on one of the members is considered an attack on all members.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Katabella Roberts is a reporter currently based in Turkey. She focuses primarily on the United States and covers the news and business of The Epoch Times.