Putin alludes to 'having problems' with Finland after West 'drags' the country into NATO

Amid the brewing animosities between Russia and the West, President Vladimir Putin warned that there would be “problems” between Moscow and Finland after the latter joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Finland's ascension to NATO following the commencement of the Russia-Ukraine war put a major blow to Russia. For time immemorial Putin has warned against the expansion of NATO. However, the devastating war in Ukraine triggered countries like  Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership. 

“They (the West) took Finland and dragged it into NATO! Why, did we have any disputes with Finland? All disputes, including those of a territorial nature in the middle of the 20th Century, have all been resolved long ago,” Putin said in an interview on Sunday, as per the reports by CNN. “There were no problems, but now there will be because we will now create the Leningrad military district there and definitely concentrate military units there,” he added. During the same interview, the Russian President insisted that Moscow has “no interest” in attacking NATO.

‘Complete nonsense’: Putin on Biden's warning

While making it clear that Moscow has no interest in attacking NATO and its ally, the Russian President called US President Joe Biden's warning “complete nonsense”. Earlier this month Biden warned that if Putin takes Ukraine, “he won't stop there,” alluding to the fact that the Russian leader will plan to conquer NATO allies as well. “It is complete nonsense — and I think President Biden understands that,” the Russian President averred. “Russia has no reason, no interest — no geopolitical interest, neither economic, political nor military — to fight with NATO countries,” he added. 

In April this year, Finland became the 31st member of NATO doubling the security alliance's direct frontier with Russia. Within a few months of application, the Finnish government said that it would spend around $145 million on building barriers and fences along Finland's 830-mile-long eastern border with Russia. Since then the country has shut its entire border with Russia over claims that hundreds of people were trying to cross the border without visas.