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Finland and Sweden to begin NATO application in May, local media reports
Tabloid newspapers Iltalehti in Finland and Expressen in Sweden reported on Monday (Apr 25), citing close sources, Finland and Sweden will together express their will to join NATO in May, Reuters reported.
Despite tightening cooperation with the military alliance since Russia annexed Crimea, the Nordic countries have both opted to stay out, but Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine has led to a sharp U-turn in both countries' attitudes towards NATO.
Iltalehti wrote that Finland and Sweden are planning to have their country leaders meet in the week of May 16 and after that publicly announce their plans to bid to join the alliance.
Earlier, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that should Sweden and Finland join NATO then Russia would have to strengthen its land, naval and air forces in the Baltic Sea to restore military balance.
Medvedev also explicitly raised the nuclear threat by saying that there could be no more talk of a "nuclear free" Baltic - where Russia has its Kaliningrad exclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.
Medvedev, who was president from 2008-2012, said: "There can be no more talk of any nuclear–free status for the Baltic - the balance must be restored."
Russia would deploy nuclear weapons if Sweden and Finland join NATO
Medvedev mentioned: "Until today, Russia has not taken such measures and was not going to," adding that "If our hand is forced well... take note it wasn't us who proposed this."
levantnews, anews
