Joining NATO will not contribute to strengthening the security of Sweden and Finland, and Moscow will not accept the current situation as it is, according to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, on Monday, May 16, 2022.
Recently, it became known that the Social Democratic Party in power in Sweden spoke in favor of the country’s accession to NATO, as stated by the Head of the Swedish Foreign Ministry Ann Linde. The Finnish authorities have also announced that they intend to join NATO. Both in Sweden and Finland, this decision has yet to be approved by Parliament.
“The situation, of course, is radically changing in the light of what is happening […] All this is a reflection of an absolutely false and distorted perception of what is happening in the world by the political-forming circles in the West and, in particular, in the countries of Northern Europe. It is quite obvious to us that the security of Sweden, as well as Finland, for that matter, will not be strengthened as a result of this decision,” Sergei Ryabkov commented.
He continued, noting that another question is in what form Russia will ensure its security after the change of this “general NATO configuration”.
“It will depend on what in practical terms will result from the expected accession of Finland and Sweden to the Alliance. They should have no illusions that we will just put up with this,” Ryabkov stressed.
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister also called the plans of Sweden and Finland to join NATO a mistake with far-reaching consequences.
“The overall level of military tension will increase, there will be less predictability in this area. It is a pity that common sense is sacrificed to some phantom ideas about what should be done in the current situation,” he said. “This is another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences. But what can do, this is the level of those who make the appropriate decisions in the relevant countries.”
Ru-Main, 16.05.2022
Source: Interfax
