The possible entry of Sweden and Ukraine into NATO – more than likely in the first case and very distant in the second – makes Moscow nervous. Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dimitri Peskov, accused the Atlantic Alliance on Tuesday of treating Russia as an "enemy" or "adversary" and warned that the Kremlin is following "very carefully" the summit of the Western military bloc that is taking place in Lithuania. .
Peskov added that "much of what has been said [in Vilnius] will be the subject of in-depth analysis in order to take measures to guarantee our own security." In addition, Putin's spokesman added that Sweden's expected NATO membership would have “negative implications” for Russia's security and that Sweden's country would have to respond. “Potentially this issue is very dangerous for European security,” Peskov warned.
Following the withdrawal of Turkey's veto, Sweden will become NATO's 32nd member. However, Peskov played down the Turkish decision, stating that Ankara had to fulfill its obligations as a NATO member. The Russian spokesman added that Russia will continue to develop relations with Turkey which, unlike its NATO allies, has refused to impose economic sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine war.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov assured that Moscow is taking the "appropriate" measures and that it will decide "how to execute them" in anticipation of further NATO expansion, without giving further details. The minister added that Russia will "guarantee its legitimate security interests", with regard to the foreseeable entry of Sweden into the Alliance and the accession of Finland, which took place in April. “Helsinki and Stockholm are discussing with the United States many issues related to the deployment of Alliance infrastructure right on the border with the Russian Federation in the case of Finland, and very close to our borders in the case of Sweden,” Lavrov said. .
