The accession of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) does not pose an immediate threat to Russia, but the expansion of military infrastructure on their territory will cause a response. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this, the Ria Novosti Telegram channel reported on Monday, May 16.
Putin spoke at a meeting of member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and spoke about Russia's reaction to Finland and Sweden joining NATO.
"Russia, I would like to inform you, has no problems with these states. And therefore, in this sense, expansion at the expense of these countries does not create an immediate threat to us for Russia," the Russian president said.
Putin pointed out that Russia will respond to the expansion of military infrastructure on the territory of these countries based on the threats that they "will create."
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on May 16, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian Federation has a territorial dispute with Ukraine, but there is no one with Finland and Sweden.
On May 16, the United States Charge d'Affaires ad interim to Ukraine Kristina A. Kvien said that Ukraine could become a member of NATO without a stage of the Membership Action Plan, because this is not a mandatory part of the accession procedure.
On May 15, Finland's President and Prime Minister announced that their country was applying to join NATO.
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