President Putin warns Finland, Moscow accuses the West

President Putin told President Sauli Niinisto that the Finland Leaving military neutrality and joining NATO would be a mistake, “because the security of this country does not face any threat”.

The Kremlin quoted Putin as saying: “Such a change in the political orientation of Finland could have a negative impact on the country’s relations with Russia, which have developed over the years in the spirit of good neighborliness and cooperation among partners”.

Putin’s statement came after Finnish officials said that the country planned to propose to join the military alliance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on May 15.

In the same phone conversation, President Putin and President Sauli Niinisto mentioned the military situation in Ukraine.

According to a statement from President Niinisto’s office, the Finnish leader told Putin that Finland’s security environment had changed markedly after Russia’s February 24 military operation in Ukraine.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Finland, May 11. Photo: AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs an online meeting in Sochi, Russia, May 11. Photo: AP

Mr. Niinisto assessed the phone call on Twitter: “The dialogue was direct, frank and the parties did not feel uncomfortable talking to each other. The important goal is to avoid tension.”

According to the news agency APNiinisto has been president of Finland since 2012 and is one of the few Western leaders to have spoken regularly with Putin over the past decade.

President Niinisto told President Putin during their first meeting in 2012 that every independent country wants to maximize its security and Finland is applying this principle in the current context.

“By joining NATO, Finland will strengthen its security and take on more responsibility,” the Finnish president said.

Mr. Niinisto stressed that despite the possibility of future NATO membership, Finland wants to continue to deal with Russia bilaterally “real problems”. President Niinisto reiterated his deep concern about the humanitarian situation in the Ukraine conflict, affirming that peace is the greatest wish. He also conveyed a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to President Putin, calling on Russia to assist in ensuring the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones.

Regarding Sweden, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats were previously opposed to joining NATO, but now there is the possibility of a change of position. The country will make the final decision on joining NATO at the meeting on May 15.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addresses the media in Tajikistan on May 13. Photo: Reuters

Meanwhile, the firm Reuters Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on May 14 that Russia became the target of the West’s “all-out mixed war”. “The West has declared an all-out mixed war and it’s difficult to predict how long this will last, but its consequences will obviously affect everyone, without exception,” Lavrov said. “.

Also in his speech on the 80th day since Russia began its military campaign in Ukraine, Lavrov pointed out a series of sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow. Mr. Lavrov asserted that Western efforts to isolate Russia had failed.

In addition, Lavrov also mentioned the importance of relations between Russia and China, India, Algeria and Gulf countries.