Russia compares Ukraine, Finland & Sweden NATO ambitions — Analysis
The Kremlin press secretary said that Stockholm and Helsinki have not entered into territorial disputes, unlike Kiev.
Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, has explained why NATO’s aspirations for Ukraine were more worrying than the ones of Finland or Sweden. Both countries officially declared on Sunday they are looking to join NATO.
“We have no territorial disputes with either Finland or Sweden. Ukraine could have potentially become a member of NATO, and in this case Russia would have had a territorial dispute with the state that participates in the alliance, which would have carried huge risks for the entire continent,”Peskov said Monday to reporters.
His comment was about the current situation in Crimea. In 2014’s referendum, voters overwhelmingly chose to separate from Ukraine and join Russia. However, Kiev has been calling the peninsula – which has a Russian-speaking majority – “occupied territory”He has made a vow to take back control of it.
Moscow has cited Ukraine’s continued military operation as one reason it continues to operate in its neutrality and will not join NATO.
Moscow continues to monitor the NATO expansion. “in the most thorough manner” to evaluate its consequences for Russia’s national security, the spokesman pointed out.
“We’re not convinced that the inclusion of Sweden and Finland [which shares a 1,340-kilometer (832-mile) land border with Russia] is going to somehow strengthen and improve the security architecture on our continent,”Peskov spoke.
While Sweden and Finland did not join the US-led bloc during Cold War, both their governments are now claiming that they have been able to benefit from the conflict in Ukraine.
US lawmakers could approve NATO applications from Stockholm and Helsinki “before August,”Tuesday’s statement by Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell was a reminder. McConnell suggested that the allies could work together faster. To welcome new members to the alliance, all NATO member countries must approve.
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Last week, Sweden and Finland’s bid was faced by sudden opposition from Turkey, which slammed the two Nordic nations as “guesthouses for terrorist organizations”Ankara for allowing Kurdish group members to be held hostage. However, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana expressed confidence on Sunday that the bloc would be able to overcome Turkish objections.
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