President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia has no quarrel with Finland and Sweden. He noted that their forthcoming entry into NATO does not pose an immediate threat, yet would still draw a response from Moscow.
In discussing NATO enlargement, he framed it as a problem born entirely from foreign policy choices in Washington. He added that Russia bears no fault for the enlargement and has no objection to the states involved, while insisting Russia would not assume responsibility for any perceived enlargement threat. The remarks came during a CSTO summit, where Moscow’s position was that expansion would not come at Russia’s expense.
Putin warned that increasing military infrastructure in the region would prompt a reaction from Russia, and that Moscow would evaluate risks as they arise.
According to him, the issue is a manufactured one. Regardless, Russia would respond as warranted.
He accused the alliance of straying from its geographic remit, widening its influence on global security matters, and attempting to shape events from outside. He argued this approach would not enhance security for other parts of the world.
On the eve of a statement from Finnish leader Sauli Niinistö, Putin criticized the choice to join NATO as tied to the Ukraine situation. He claimed Finland would bolster its security and take on certain responsibilities in doing so.
The Russian president argued that Helsinki moving away from a traditional stance of military neutrality was unnecessary, reiterating that no threat exists to Finland’s security.
Shifts in Alignments
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, asserted that European nations have seen a long-running shift in alliance positions, which she believes has yielded results. She argued NATO is drawing countries into its orbit contrary to their national interests and the will of their people, while stressing that normal international relations should not be sacrificed.
Zakharova also criticized the alliance for ongoing joint drills with Sweden and Finland and noted that Russia has repeatedly warned about the dangers such moves pose. She cited both historical and contemporary examples to illustrate possible outcomes.
NATO Membership and Nuclear Policy
Sweden and Finland have served as observers under the Partnership for Peace program since 1994 and have taken part in NATO exercises in the Baltic region without deploying nuclear weapons. Following Russia’s actions in Ukraine, Helsinki and Stockholm began revisiting neutrality policies. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the alliance remains open to Scandinavian members, with membership potentially arriving soon. Turkey voiced opposition to both memberships, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signaling no favorable stance at present. Greece joined NATO in 1952, and Turkey cautioned against repeating past missteps.
On May 15, Finland announced its decision to pursue NATO membership, followed by Sweden on May 16. Sweden’s Social Democratic Party pledged to oppose the deployment of nuclear weapons and permanent bases if the applications succeed. Andersson indicated that Finland and Sweden would submit a joint application, after which member parliaments would need to ratify the move, a process that could span roughly a year.