Topline
Former Russian President and close Putin-ally Dmitry Medvedev warned that Russia is prepared to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltics in the event that Finland and Sweden join NATO, a threat which comes a day after the prime ministers of the two Nordic countries said they were strongly considering membership in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Key Facts
Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, told Reuters that if Sweden and Finland abandon their historic neutrality and join the Western military alliance, Russia would be forced to bolster its military presence near the Baltic Sea.
The former Russian president also added that there could be no more talks of a “nuclear free” Baltic if the two Nordic countries join NATO.
Medvedev insisted that Russia’s hand was being forced on this issue as it was not Russia who “proposed this.”
While Mevedev did not offer any specifics, he was likely talking about the deployment of nuclear weapons and other troops to its Baltic enclave, Kaliningrad, which is located between Poland and Lithuania.
Key Background
On Wednesday, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that Finland will make a decision about applying to join NATO in the next few weeks, noting that her country has to be prepared for “all kinds of actions from Russia.” Marin’s decision comes as polling in the country suggests historically high levels of support for joining the alliance. A poll conducted by Finnish public broadcaster Yleisradio Oy last month revealed that 62% of people in Finland support joining NATO, up from just 21% in 2017. Finland’s neighbor Sweden, which has also historically remained neutral, indicated it was also considering a similar move with its Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson noting that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had been a watershed moment. Moscow has expressed its displeasure for such a move several times, warning of “military and political consequences” against the two countries if they choose to go ahead with this decision. More recently Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned the two nations against joining the alliance claiming it would not bring stability to Europe. NATO’s eastward expansion was the key flashpoint between Russia and the West in the lead up to the Ukrainian invasion.
Further Reading
Here’s Why Finland And Sweden Might Join NATO — And Why It Matters (Forbes)
Finland to make decision on NATO entry in coming weeks, not months (Reuters)
