Russian fighter jets take part in Baltic Sea drills as support grows for Finnish and Swedish NATO membership

Russian Su-27 fighter jets have taken part in drills to repel a mock air strike on Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Baltic Sea fleet.

The drills took place two days after Finland announced plans to apply to join NATO, with Sweden likely to follow – moves that would bring about the expansion of the Western military alliance that Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he aims to prevent.

The Russian Baltic Sea fleet’s press service said Su-27 fighter jets “destroyed” the planes of the simulated adversary during the drills, Interfax reported.

According to the report, more than 10 crews of the Baltic Sea fleet’s Su-27 were involved in the exercises.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Saturday that there should be consensus at NATO for Sweden and Finland to join the alliance, but that their accession should be quick.

“It is important that we have a consensus,” she told reporters on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in northern Germany when asked about Turkey possibly blocking their accession.

“We wish that there not only be an accession of Finland and Sweden, but a quick accession, which is fundamental in the circumstances as Finland and Sweden are looking for security guarantees.”

Norway on Saturday backed Finnish and Swedish plans to join NATO against criticism from Turkey.

“We don’t know what Turkey really means but from (the) Norwegian perspective, we are 100% behind Finland and Sweden if they decide to apply for membership in NATO,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeld said as she arrived for a meeting with her NATO counterparts in Berlin.

“This will also strengthen the Nordic cooperation because we chose differently after World War 2, so I think that this is a historic moment right now,” she added.

Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra echoed her, saying it was important that all NATO members showed unity.

Greece fully supports Sweden’s and Finland’s plans to join NATO, its foreign minister said on Saturday.

“Greece has excellent relations with these two countries, which are also members of the European Union,” Nikos Dendias said in Berlin where he will attend an informal NATO ministers meeting.

“The Greek side has a very clear stance (on the matter), we are ready to welcome Sweden and Finland to the NATO family, we believe they have much to offer,” he said.

A day after Russia’s northeastern neighbour Finland committed to applying to join NATO, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said membership for her country would have a stabilising effect and benefit countries around the Baltic Sea.

Joining the 30-nation Western military alliance would end the neutrality the two states maintained throughout the Cold War. It would further the expansion of NATO that Russian President Vladimir Putin said his invasion of Ukraine aimed to prevent.

Moscow has said Finland’s entry to NATO poses a threat to which it will respond, but it has not specified how.

Photo: A handout picture provided by the British Ministry of Defence showing a Russian SU-27 aircraft (L). EPA-EFE/Royal Air Force / BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE