Sweden has summoned its Russian ambassador to Stockholm after he made vague threats about the country’s future if it joins NATO.
According to the Moscow Times, Russian Ambassador Viktor Tatarintsev warned that Sweden would become a “legitimate target” of Russian military forces if it joined the organization.
He further stated that new members of the “hostile bloc” would be subject to Russian retaliatory measures, including military action. The statement, issued via the Russian embassy’s official media, cautioned that Sweden’s pursuit of NATO membership would push it “towards the abyss,” rather than making it more secure.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tobias Billstrom has condemned the Russian ambassador’s statement, saying that Sweden’s security policy is determined by Sweden and not by any external entity. The Swedish government has summoned Tatarintsev for a meeting to address this “blatant attempt at influence.”
This warning comes amid Finland’s likelihood of joining NATO before Sweden does, due to Turkey’s opposition to the latter’s bid. Turkey accuses Sweden and Finland of being too soft on groups that it considers to be terror organizations or existential threats, such as Kurdish groups.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has stated that Ankara has fewer problems with Finland joining NATO.
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