President Putin: Russia will react if NATO expands military infrastructure in Finland, Sweden

Russian President Vladimir Putin – Photo: EPA

According to Reuters news agency, Putin said Russia has no problem with Finland or Sweden, so there is no direct threat from the invasion. NATO expansion, including the admission of new members, these two countries.

“However, the expansion of military infrastructure on the territories of these two countries will certainly trigger a response from Moscow. What that response will be will depend on the threat they pose to us,” Putin said. Speaking at the Summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on May 16.

Earlier, in an interview with Interfax news agency on May 16, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called the decision of Finland and Sweden a “mistake with great consequences”.

“The reality is that the security of Finland and Sweden will not be enhanced,” Ryabkov said, adding that tensions in Europe will increase in the near future.

“Finland and Sweden should not be under the illusion that Russia will simply sit and endure such a scenario,” warned the Russian diplomat.

Last April, Dmitry Medvedev, one of President Putin’s close allies, revealed that Russia could deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles in Kaliningrad province if Finland and Sweden joined enter NATO.

Kaliningrad province is located separately from the main territory of Russia, bordering the Baltic Sea and between Latvia and Poland – two other NATO countries.