Russia warns Sweden & Finland of 'detrimental consequences' if they seek to join NATO

Even as Russia continues its audacious invasion against Ukraine, it has now threatened Sweden and Finland and warned the two countries against joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). According to reports, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson avered that Sweden and Finland will face "detrimental consequences" if they join NATO. This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin order the country's troops to invade its neighbor Ukraine. 

Moscow to send a delegation for talks

As war rages on, Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to send a delegation for talks with Kyiv, reported Russia's state-run media, Sputnik. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, a Russian diplomatic delegation, including the foreign ministry, defence and admin officials, could be sent to Minsk for talks with Ukraine. This comes shortly after Putin earlier rejected Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's offer for talks, demanding that Ukraine should surrender first. 

Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov too held a press conference and said that his country is willing to negotiate if the Ukrainian Army lays down its weapons. During his press conference, Lavrov avered that his country 'tried to convince' Ukraine and its western partners through diplomatic channels. Lavrov further said Russia is willing to resume negotiation through diplomatic channels if Ukraine's army agrees to lay down arms. 

Russia invades Ukraine 

Weeks after amassing over 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 'special military operation' in Ukraine's Donbas region. However, the Russian military later targeted Kyiv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk with airstrikes and also deployed tanks towards Lviv from the Belarus-Ukraine border. In addition, Russia has also been attacking from the shores of Mariupol and Odesa and troops have taken over Chernobyl nuclear plant, while fighting rages on the outskirts of Kyiv.