Russian minister calls Nato expansion to include Finland and Sweden ‘destabilising’
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The expansion of Nato following the alliance’s invitation to Finland and Sweden to become members has been viewed “negatively” by Russian ministers.
Kremlin’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, was quoted by Russian state news agency RIA as saying that a growing Nato is “destablising”.
He added that more members in the alliance does not add to the security of the nations.
It comes as Nato’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said he expects ratification of Sweden and Finland’s membership of the military alliance to be passed in record time, after Turkey dropped its previous objections against the countries joining.
A last minute agreement was reached between the three countries on Tuesday night, on the eve of the Nato Summit in Madrid.
“After invitation, we need a ratification process in 30 parliaments,” Mr Stoltenberg said. “That always takes some time but I expect also that to go rather quickly because allies are ready to try to make that ratification process happen as quickly as possible.”
The secretary-general added that the expansion of Nato was “the opposite” of what president Vladimir Putin hoped for and instead showed that the alliance’s “door is open”.
Both Nordic countries applied for membership shortly after Putin invaded Ukraine, fearing for the security of their own borders.
Finland shares a 800-mile long border with Russia. The Kremlin said it would take retaliatory “military-technical” steps after Finland’s leaders came out in favour of applying to join the alliance.
When the two countries announced that they would be seeking to apply for Nato membership, Mr Ryabkov responded that there will be “far-reaching consequences” for their actions.
“Common sense is being sacrificed to some phantom ideas on what should be done in the situation,” he said. “This will be another gross mistake with far-reaching consequences. But then, alas, that’s the sanity level of those who are making political decisions in corresponding countries.”
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