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Russia does not want its neighbor Finland to join NATO.
The superpower will respond militarily, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
– It will be a surprise, says spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, according to RIA.
Finland’s decision to join NATO upsets Russia.
The fact that the neighboring country has submitted an application for membership in the defense alliance will have consequences, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. On Wednesday, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, held a press conference where she announced that the measures will be of a military nature, reports Russian news agency RIA.
But she was not clearer than that.
– It will be a surprise, she says according to RIA
Maria Zakharova. Photo: AP
The decision lies with the Ministry of Defense, according to Zakharova.
“This question is for our Ministry of Defense. The decision will be made after we have taken into account all the factors and details of how Finland’s membership of NATO will develop. Based on all these parameters, a decision will be made, first and foremost by the military, she says Russian news agency TASS.
Putin: “We’ll see”
Vladimir Putin has previously said that he has no problems with either Sweden or Finland. The countries’ applications do not pose a threat to Russia. But Russia will still respond with measures if it joins NATO.
– The expansion of the military infrastructure to this territory will definitely cause a response from us. And we will see what it will be, depending on what threats this would pose to us, Putin said at a summit within the Moscow-led security organization CSTO, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
President of Finland Sauli Niinistö. Photo: Anders Wiklund / TT
Stoltenberg: “Historical step”
On Wednesday, Sweden’s NATO ambassador Axel Wernhoff and his Finnish colleague Klaus Korhonen submitted their countries’ respective applications to NATO. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg received at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
– I would like to warmly welcome Sweden and Finland to NATO. You are our closest partners. The applications you submitted today are a historic step in the direction of NATO, said Jens Stoltenberg.
All NATO member states must approve the application from a new member state. Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have opposed Swedish membership and made several demands.