Russia says a nuclear-free Baltic region will not be able to do so if Finland and Sweden join NATO, citing increased use of nuclear weapons in Europe.
“There will be no mention of any nuclear situation in the Baltic – the balance must be restored,” Dmitry Medvedev, former president and vice-chairman of the Russian Security Council, wrote in his official Telegram channel on Thursday.
The comments come a day after Finland and Sweden said their decision on whether to apply for NATO membership would come in a few weeks. Leaders of these countries say their security checks have changed dramatically following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
If Finland and Sweden join NATO, this will give Moscow “officially registered opponents,” Medvedev said. He said NATO was planning to ratify the two Nordic provinces “through a system of weak governance.”
The Russian response should be taken “without emotion, with a cold head,” he added.
The Baltic, which includes the northeastern European countries Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, are members of the EU and NATO. Finland and Sweden are members of the EU, but not NATO, and these share a 830-mile border with Russia.
Lithuania, on the border of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, dismissed Medvedev’s comments on Thursday.
“It is nothing new,” said Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas, adding that Russia already has nuclear weapons in the Baltic region.
“Russia’s current threats look strange, when we know that, despite the current security situation, they are keeping the weapon 100 km from the Lithuanian border,” the minister was quoted as saying by a Lithuanian BNS phone.
“Nuclear weapons have been stored in Kaliningrad … the international community, countries in the region, are well aware of this … They use it as a threat,” he added.
The Moscow invasion of Ukraine has sparked a U-turn in Finnish public opinion by joining a 30-member coalition, which has refused to do so since World War II in an effort to maintain its neutrality. Moscow has warned of dire consequences and instability in the Nordic if Finland joins.
If Finland joins a coalition, Sweden would probably follow suit. Finland and Sweden, as well as Ukraine, are already NATO’s “Developed Partners,” the closest form of alliance, and are participating in NATO military and regional tests.