Medvedev vows response for Finland joining NATO

DPA – The accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO will be met with a military response, according to former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

If the two countries host NATO bases and weapons, then “our reaction steps will be symmetrical to this,” said Medvedev, now vice-chairman of the Russian Security Council after a meeting on the security situation on the 1,300-kilometre border with Finland, according to the Interfax agency.

Alliance members are currently ratifying the membership of Sweden and Finland, after both cited security concerns as a reason for seeking NATO membership after Moscow attacked Ukraine.

In Medvedev’s view, the decision by the two to join NATO means the security situation in the Baltic Sea region is worse “because the Baltic Sea is now actually becoming a sea dominated by NATO states.”

He accused the two states of being influenced by “across the ocean and by Brussels.” Relations with the countries would now have to be reviewed from the Russian side, he said.

dpa/MSN