Russia has warned Finland that it will be “forced” to respond if the long-neutral country joins NATO soon, despite the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry made the announcement on Thursday.
The statement read, “Finland joining NATO is a radical change in the country’s foreign policy.
“Russia will be forced to take retaliatory steps, both of a military-technical and other nature, in order to stop threats to its national security arising.”
The announcement comes after Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin stated the nation should seek to join NATO “without delay.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has changed the calculus of nations like Finland and Sweden towards NATO membership, with Finland seriously contemplating applying to join the alliance.