Finland’s president has said the country must apply to NATO “without delay”, prompting Russia to warn of a “response”.
Responding to Finland’s announcement this morning, the Kremlin said the decision to join NATO will not help stability and security in Europe, adding that it will “definitely” be a threat to Russia and will be forced to take security measures. reprisal.
The Foreign Ministry stated that NATO’s objective was to continue expanding towards Russia’s borders, in order to create another flank of military threat to the country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that the steps taken by Finland to join NATO were cause for regret and a reason to impose a symmetrical response.
He also said that Russia is prepared to give the most decisive response to any party trying to get involved in Ukraine and hinder the special military operation.
Mr. Peskov: “Everything (the future actions of Russia) will depend on how this expansion process will look like in the future, how far the military infrastructure will move, how much closer to our borders.
“Of course, if you remember the current instructions from the (Russian) president and the commander in chief, to develop a list of measures to strengthen our western flanks in relation to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, that is, NATO is moving in our direction, so of course all this will become elements for special analysis and the development of necessary measures, in order to balance the situation and ensure our safety.”
Finnish politicians have also reported being warned that Russia could stop its gas supplies to Finland on Friday, according to local newspaper Iltalehti.
The newspaper cited unidentified sources and did not specify where the warning had come from.
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It comes after Finnish President Sauli Niinisto made the announcement when he said the country, which shares an 810-mile border and a difficult past with Russia, must apply for membership in the organization.
In a joint statement with the country’s prime minister, Sanna Marin, they said: “We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken quickly in the coming days.”
“Now that the moment of decision-making is approaching, we express our equal points of view, also for the information of the parliamentary groups and parties.
“NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security. As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defense alliance.
“Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay.” NATO’s Jens Stoltenberg later said Finland would be welcome if it decided to join, adding that accession would be “smooth and quick”.
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Finland’s leaders have announced that the country should apply to join the NATO defense alliance “without delay”.
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In the US, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC in a television interview today that it would not be
difficult to integrate the country into the military alliance.
Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Finland has increased its cooperation with NATO as one of its “partner” nations.
But it hasn’t really come together to maintain good relations with its neighbor to the east.
The Finnish government and parliament are expected to approve the decision shortly.
The announcement by Mr Niinisto and Ms Marin means that it is virtually certain that Finland will seek NATO membership, although a few steps remain before the application process can begin.
Neighboring Sweden is expected to decide to join NATO in the coming days. Last month, Niinisto, who runs foreign policy in the country in cooperation with the government, told the Ilta-Sanomat newspaper: Finland and Sweden will join (NATO), then it will create a new kind of North for us, one that is responsible stable and strong.”
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Support for joining NATO in the country has changed rapidly since Russia launched its so-called “special operation” in Ukraine: the latest poll by public broadcaster YLE shows that 76% of Finns are in favor and only the 12% against.
‘Countries are taking steps to make sure they are protected’
The prime minister’s official spokesman told reporters this afternoon: “Obviously they are now in the early stages of democratic consultations and we fully support and welcome NATO being a defensive organisation. And we support 100% the democratic desire of any country to unite”.
“I think it shows how democratic countries are coming together more and more as a direct consequence of Putin’s illegal invasion.
“It shows and only further illustrates the futility of the actions it has taken and that it is not achieving in any way, its objectives, among which are reported to be opposed to NATO.
RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE CAUSES A SEISMIC SHIFT IN EUROPE’S SECURITY
A new security chapter is opening in Europe, one that will require governments not only to say that their top priority is the defense of their nation, but to show it with action and investment.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has triggered this seismic shift, doing more to galvanize the NATO defense alliance than any other event since its founding more than 70 years ago, including during the entire Cold War.
That is why two historically neutral European countries, Finland and Sweden, appear poised to apply for membership in the club in defiance of Moscow’s warnings: a stunning shift in foreign and defense policy.
Finland’s leaders said on Thursday that their country should apply “without delay”.
It was a long-awaited statement of intent indicating that a formal application could arrive within days.
The altered landscape also explains why the UK has just signed new security pacts with both Nordic states, which guarantees coming to their defense if attacked.
This commitment already brings Helsinki and Stockholm closer to the blanket of collective security provided by NATO even before any formal move to join the 30-member club.
Such moves would have been unthinkable just six months ago, with Finland and Sweden carefully balancing their relations with Western allies and with their big Russian neighbor.
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“The only aggression that was actually enacted was the illegal invasion. I think we are seeing countries taking steps to make sure they are protected and working more closely with other like-minded democratic countries.”
It comes after the UK agreed defense pacts with Finland and Sweden.
Prime Minister boris johnson visited Stockholm and Helsinki to sign the agreements this week.
The agreements say that the UK will come to the aid of both countries if they are attacked, and vice versa.
The Kremlin has previously warned of “political and military repercussions” if Sweden and Finland decide to join the alliance, but Johnson made it clear he would back Sweden’s membership.
Reference-news.sky.com