Russia will need to significantly improve its security if Sweden and Finland join NATO, warns former President Medvedev
Moscow will need to deploy significant forces to its borders with Finland in response to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Russian former President Dmitry Medvedev warned on Thursday, adding that the deployment of nuclear weapons to the region may well be a possible way to “restore the balance” of security in the area.
The two nations joining the military bloc would only mean that Russia will have more “officially registered opponents”, the former president has written in a long Telegram post where he comments on Stockholm and Helsinki’s efforts to join NATO within a near future.
The length of the land border between Russia and the military bloc will almost double in that case, Medvedev, who is currently vice chairman of the country’s Security Council, has added. “This limit [security] will need to be strengthened “, he said. The possible security improvement options include” drastic increase in the number of land forces and air defenses “in the region and the deployment of additional warships to the Gulf of Finland.
“The non-nuclear status of the Baltic region will be ruled out in this case. The balance sheet [of power] should be preserved “, Medvedev has warned, adding that Russia has not even considered such an option until now and had no such plans before.
The former president has also said that there is in fact little reason for Sweden and Finland to join the military bloc and adds that all references to Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine are irrelevant in this case. “We have no territorial disputes with these nations,” he said.
Medvedev has also expressed the hope that “common sense” will prevail, adding that all “rational” people in Sweden and Finland would hardly want to see “increased tax burden” as well as “tensions along the borders of their nations” and “nuclear-armed ships”. within easy reach of their homes. “
His words come a day after Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and her Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson confirmed that they want their nations to join the US-led bloc “fairly quickly”. Marin pointed in particular to the ongoing Russian military operation in Ukraine as a reason to change Finland’s policy of not joining any military blocs.
Some media reports suggested that both nations submit their applications this summer, although there are no official confirmations of any potential dates. The plans had been criticized by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which said that Helsinki and Stockholm went against the interests of their nation.
(RT.com)
Source: sn.dk
