This week, Hungary was the last country to say yes to Sweden’s NATO application.
During yesterday, the Russian embassy commented on the process and today the answer came from the Kremlin.
– Sweden’s accession to NATO is followed by an escalation of anti-Russian hysteria in the country, says Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry at a press conference.
Sweden is a few formal steps away from becoming a member of NATO, but already yesterday the Russian embassy in Sweden made a statement about the process. They believed that Sweden’s accession was in principle complete – which was viewed negatively.
“Russia will take countermeasures of a political and military-technical nature in order to minimize threats to its national security,” the embassy wrote in a press release.
Today, the spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, spoke at a press conference about Sweden’s accession to NATO.
Russia will respond to a Swedish entry into NATO
Just like the embassy, Maria Zakharova pointed to Sweden’s long history as non-aligned, which she believes has maintained stability in the Baltic Sea.
– It inevitably contributes to the transformation of this part of Europe from a zone of stability and cooperation to a zone of potential confrontation, says Zakharova.
According to Zakharova, Russia will also respond to a Swedish entry into NATO depending on how the Swedish membership will look, and take military-technical measures. She also believes that there is an “anti-Russian hysteria” in Sweden that is encouraged from the political side.
– Sweden’s accession to NATO is followed by an escalation of anti-Russian hysteria in the country. It is encouraged by the Swedish political and military leadership, but its main source is abroad, says Zakharova.