Putin threatens to retaliate if Finland joins NATO

Russia, on Thursday May 12, 2022, warned that it would have to take “military-technical” steps in response to neighboring Finland joining NATO, after the country made it clear that it was joining the US-led alliance.

“The expansion of NATO and the approach of the alliance to our borders does not make the world and our continent more stable and secure,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

When asked whether Finland’s membership would be a threat, Peskov answered: “definitely”.

“Everything will depend on how this process takes place, how far the military infrastructure will move towards our borders,” he said.

Russia’s foreign ministry said Moscow would be “forced to take reciprocal steps, military-technical and other, to address the resulting threats to its national security”.

It accused NATO of seeking to create “another flank for the military threat to our country”.