Lavrov says Finland should not give into temptation of joining NATO
Moscow calls on Helsinki not to give into the temptation of joining NATO’s actions directed against Russia.
The statement was made by the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, in response to a question asking what countermeasures Russia would take if Finland joins NATO, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS.
“This is a pure military and technical question. It is obvious that if an organization which considers you an enemy is approaching your borders, you have to react somehow,” Lavrov said. “We have extensive experience in this field. I am sure the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff know what to do,” he added.
“We believe that we have a mutually beneficial relations with Finland and we count on our Finnish neighbors not to give into the temptations of joining the anti-Russian campaign,” the Minister stressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his recent visit to Helsinki, stated that in the case of Finland joining NATO, it would be unlikely that Russian troops would remain at a distance of 1.5 thousand kilometers from the Russian-Finnish border.