Finland & Sweden receive letters from Putin demanding security guarantees for Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday, sent missives to authorities in Finland and Sweden asking them to provide security guarantees for Moscow amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The letter is being deemed as the Kremlin’s threat to both the Scandinavian countries over the possibility of them joining NATO. Backing the same, a report published in Spanish daily Marca stated that Putin views Finland and Sweden’s membership of the North Alliance as a direct threat to Russia and therefore has asked the countries to refrain from expanding their security measures at the expense of others.   

Earlier this week, the Russian Foreign Ministry also issued a warning asserting, “serious military-political consequences” for the two countries if they join NATO. The Kremlin-backed stance by calling it a move by the US to "drag" Sweden and Finland into NATO. It is imperative to note that in February, the Russian Federation had issued a similar warning and demanded security guarantees. 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, “Finland has voiced threats to apply to join NATO if it comes to its national security. How does Moscow evaluate such statements, and can the accession of countries neighbouring with Russia to the alliance force re-escalation?” 

Are Finland and Sweden joining NATO?

Last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg had invited Sweden and Finland to attend a virtual summit on the situation in and around Ukraine. Hours later, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that her country would join the North Atlantic Alliance if the situation of national security becomes "acute". Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said that it was the country which "itself and independently" decides on security policy line, underscoring that it would be Stockholm's decision whether to join NATO or not.

Russia-Ukraine war enters Day 8

After the first round of talks between Ukraine and Russia ended inconclusively, diplomats left for the second round of negotiations late on Wednesday. As of now, more than 2,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict, according to Ukraine’s Emergency Services. Meanwhile, Moscow said 498 Russians soldiers have lost their lives in Ukraine since invasion started. The devastating conflict has also triggered a migrant exodus into Europe with the number of immigrants now surpassing a million.

(Image: AP/Sanna Marin/Twitter)