Finland – which shares an 810-mile border with Russia – and Sweden are considering whether or not to join the NATO alliance. Finland will make a decision in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Sana Marin said yesterday. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s vice-president of the Security Council, has warned that if neutral nations join NATO, Russia will have to strengthen its land, naval and air forces in the Baltic Sea to restore military ties. Mr Medvedev, Russia’s former president and prime minister, has also made a nuclear threat, saying there is no longer a “nuclear-free” Baltic. “There can be no talk of a nuclear-free regime in the Baltic anymore – the balance must be restored,” Medvedev said. spoke on the 50th day of Russia’s land, air and sea invasion of Ukraine.
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“To date, Russia has not taken such measures and was not going to take them,” Medvedev said. “If our hand is good … keep in mind that we did not suggest it,” he added. Russia, Finland and Sweden are among the many countries that share two shores of the Baltic Sea. Russis has access to the sea in two locations – near St. Petersburg, just south of Finland, and the Kaliningrad enclave, which lies between Poland and Lithuania. Finland and neighboring Sweden are close partners with NATO, but in the past had avoided joining the 30-member alliance, which was formed in 1949 to confront the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Finland has said a decision on its NATO bid will be taken in the coming weeks, as the security situation in Europe has changed since Russia invaded Ukraine. “The difference between being a partner and being a member is very clear and will remain so. “There is no way we can have security guarantees except under the auspices and common defense of NATO as guaranteed by Article 5 of NATO,” said Marin. Sweden is also reviewing its security policy, with conclusions expected around the end of May. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands, displaced millions and raised fears of a wider conflict between Moscow and the United States. One of the reasons given by Putin for launching the “special military operation” in Ukraine is that it is necessary because the United States is using Ukraine to threaten Russia. Ukraine says it is fighting an imperial-style land grab. Additional reports from agencies