Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning of potential problems with neighbouring Finland after the country joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) earlier this year. Finland’s accession to NATO marked a significant shift in northern Europe’s security dynamics, extending the alliance’s frontier with Russia by approximately 1,300 kilometres (830 miles).
Expressing dissatisfaction with NATO’s expansion, Putin remarked in a published interview on Sunday, “They (the West) took Finland and dragged it into NATO! Why, did we have any disputes with Finland? All disputes, including those of a territorial nature in the middle of the 20th century, have all been resolved long ago.”
Putin suggested that the move would lead to the creation of a Leningrad military district in Finland, concentrating Russian military units in the region. He dismissed remarks from US President Joe Biden, who warned of potential Russian aggression, labelling such comments as complete nonsense.
Putin asserted that Russia has no interest in fighting with NATO countries and emphasised Moscow’s lack of territorial claims in NATO member states. He stated, “There is no desire to spoil relations with them (NATO countries); we are interested in developing relations.”
Finland became the 31st member of NATO in April, doubling the alliance’s direct frontier with Russia. The decision was driven by the altered security environment following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. In May 2022, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö cited the war as a key factor influencing the nation’s desire to join NATO.
In response to security concerns, Finland announced a $143 million investment in building barrier fences along its eastern border with Russia. Recent closures of the border were attributed to claims of individuals attempting to cross without a visa, with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo accusing Russia of enabling such actions and vowing to put an end to the phenomenon.
