Russia Threat vs Finland, Sweden Joining NATO Gets Middle Finger

Russia has warned of “military consequences” if Finland and Sweden join NATO after their leaders held talks with the alliance in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, Joe Barnes reported for UK’s The Telegraph.

Photo Insert: Sanna Marin, the Finnish Prime Minister, and Magdalena Andersson, her Swedish counterpart, joined NATO leaders at an emergency summit to discuss the response to the crisis.

Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign affairs spokesman, said at her weekly briefing that all members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), including Finland and Sweden, “have reaffirmed the principle that the security of one country cannot be built at the expense of the security of others."

She added: “Obviously, the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, which is primarily a military alliance as you well understand, would have serious military and political consequences, which would require our country to make response steps.”

Her intervention came after Sanna Marin, the Finnish prime minister, and Magdalena Andersson, her Swedish counterpart, joined NATO leaders at an emergency summit to discuss the response to the crisis.

NATO sources dismissed Russian suggestions that the meeting was focused on bringing Finland and Sweden on board as part of an expansion of the alliance.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary-general, said leaders instead concentrated on plans to defend the alliance from a possible Russian attack and how to support Ukraine as the conflict continues. The alliance's top officials had previously warned that it would need to reinforce its eastern flank, to prevent fighting from spilling over into a full-blown war.

Alexander Stubb, a former prime minister of Finland, which has been militarily neutral since the Cold War, said: "Russia is pushing Finland closer to NATO membership. Closer than ever before. Our security has been partially based on an option to join. At this rate, we have no other option but to join. Finland's accession would strengthen the alliance and help keep northern Europe stable."

Marin, who was previously an opponent to joining the alliance, now argues the debate over membership is set to change. After the Russian threat against Helsinki, one Finnish television channel asked members of the public how they wanted to respond to Russian President Vladimir Putin, one simply offered a middle-finger salute, replying: "This!"

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