Former Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev believes that Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO will trigger a military counter-reaction from Russia. If NATO bases are installed on the countries’ territory and weapons are stationed, then “our reaction steps will take place symmetrically”, said the deputy head of the Russian Security Council after a meeting on the security situation at the border with Russia. Finland, according to the Interfax agency.
After the Russian attack on Ukraine, Sweden and Finland cited concerns about their own security as their reason for wanting to join NATO. At its summit in Madrid at the end of June, NATO approved membership applications. Since then, ratification by individual member states has been ongoing.
Medvedev believes that the decision for the two countries to join NATO worsens the security situation in the Baltic region, “because the Baltic Sea is really becoming a sea dominated by NATO countries”. He accused the two states of being “influenced from across the ocean and from Brussels”. Relations with the countries would now have to be reviewed on the Russian side.
Russia shares a border with Finland that is over 1,300 kilometers long to the north. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had already announced at the end of June that the country’s accession to NATO would imply military countermeasures by his country. (pa/dpa)