Moscow warns against NATO deployment in Sweden, Finland

WORLD, Dec. 021 (YPA) – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko confirmed on Wednesday that NATO will deploy its forces in Sweden and Finland after they join the alliance, and that will hurt the security of the bloc.

Alexander Grushko said: “It’s quite possible to assume that after they become member states, they will be part of the unified defense system, part of NATO’s defense planning. NATO will force them to provide their territory to host foreign contingents, deploy additional forces. That will worsen the state of NATO’s military security, creating additional risks for it,” according TASS News Agency.

He stressed that “the negative impact will affect not only the European security situation but also regional security in the north.”

On Russia’s position on this, he said: “We will study possible measures to ensure the interests of defense and security depending on what happens on the ground,” noting that “Finland and Sweden are now turning from symbols of military non-alignment to a NATO perimeter, and this is unfortunate.”

E.M