Russia says NATO membership of Finland, Sweden will disrupt security in Europe

As Finland and Sweden are seeking NATO membership, Russia has expressed its displeasure on the situation stating that it could disrupt security in Europe. Russian Ambassador to Canada, Oleg Stepanov stated that Finland and Sweden joining NATO would be damaging to their and Europe's security and that the two countries will be compelled to deal with Russia as an adversary. He further stated that if this happens Russians must alter their impression of previously neutral countries as launching pads for NATO threats.

As per reports of Sputnik, Stepanov stated that US policymakers have decided to expand NATO while ignoring Russian security concerns. The envoy also cautioned that NATO expansion, particularly Finland and Sweden's possible membership, would exacerbate tensions. He further said that NATO is a nuclear military machine that has arrived at Russia's doorstep, adding that accepting Finland and Sweden into the fold extends NATO's contact line with Russia by more than 1300 kilometres. He claimed that the borders which have been politically and militarily stable until now will be thrown into the arc of NATO-Russia tensions if the two countries join NATO.

Stepanov went on to say that the US and NATO bureaucracies are employing a variety of strategies to persuade certain political camps in Finland and Sweden to forego their peaceful way of life and change Northern Europe from a zone of military non-alignment, stability and prosperity into yet another potential war zone.

Finland and Sweden would lose their sovereign status: Russian envoy

The envoy stated that Finland and Sweden would lose their sovereign and autonomous status and will be forced to follow the collective NATO discipline imposed by the US, which is sometimes incompatible with their security needs, He continued by stating that Finns and Swedes should carefully assess the circumstances before deciding on NATO membership, according to Sputnik.

Stepanov also said, "Do Finns and Swedes really want to be pulled in the US geopolitical march against Russia? We are neighbours, and the price of responsibility for the three of us is much higher than for the ideologues in Washington DC. In these testing times for European security, one can only hope wisdom prevails - so that the Finnish and Swedish constituents and their elected representatives once again review and assess whether the NATO enticements are worth it."

(With inputs from ANI, Image: AP)