Russia has threatened NATO countries that if Sweden and Finland join the alliance, Moscow will have to strengthen defense in the region, including through the deployment of nuclear weapons, tvp.info reports, citing the entry of Dmitry Medvedev, a close associate of Vladimir Putin.
Finland will decide on its NATO membership within a few weeks, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said at a press conference in Stockholm. In turn, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson wants her country to become a member of NATO in June, the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper reports.
nuclear blackmail
Moscow did not like these statements, in which threats and warnings were formulated through Medvedev, the former president of Russia (2008-2012).
“There can be no more talk of any nuclear-free status of the Baltic Sea – the balance must be restored,” the Russian politician wrote on Telegram.
Enemies of Russia
As he explained, “Russia will have more officially registered opponents” and therefore it will be forced to “seriously strengthen its ground forces and air defense and deploy significant naval forces in the Gulf of Finland.”
The tvp.info portal quotes Medvedev as pointing out that Russia does not have territorial disputes with Sweden and Finland, as with Ukraine, and Russia’s entry into NATO will be perceived by Russia differently than such a step taken by Ukraine.
Moscow presented Ukraine’s desire for NATO as one of the reasons for the invasion.
Appeal to “reason”
The Russian politician also claims that society in Finland and Sweden is divided over joining the Alliance and “no reasonable person wants to raise prices and taxes, increase tensions at the borders, Iskanders, hypersonic and nuclear ships are literally at their fingertips from their own home.”