Posted on Mar 1, 2022
Newsday - Ukraine invasion: Putin’s threats to Finland and Sweden are ‘nothing new’ - BBC Sounds
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Russia has put its nuclear forces on "special alert" to counter what it calls Nato's aggression, and has threatened Finland and Sweden with "military consequences" if they join the defensive alliance.
Finland's former Prime Minister, Alexander Stubb, now Professor and Director at the School of Transnational Governance, says that Russia's view is nothing new, and that although they do not currently have plans for membership, if the Baltic states (such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) weren't in Nato, the situation would be more dangerous. He says he supports the EU and UK sending weapons to Ukraine, and that Finland are also sending defence material to the country.
Finland's former Prime Minister, Alexander Stubb, now Professor and Director at the School of Transnational Governance, says that Russia's view is nothing new, and that although they do not currently have plans for membership, if the Baltic states (such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) weren't in Nato, the situation would be more dangerous. He says he supports the EU and UK sending weapons to Ukraine, and that Finland are also sending defence material to the country.
Newsday - Ukraine invasion: Putin’s threats to Finland and Sweden are ‘nothing new’ - BBC Sounds
Posted from bbc.co.uk
Russia
Ukraine
Helsinki
Posted 2 y ago
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He's going to spread his forces too thin if he actually goes after the Finns and Swedish.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Russian military threats against Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s unpredictability are forcing Sweden and Finland to reconsider their policy of non-alignment toward NATO. If admitted, each would enhance security in NATO’s northeastern flank and put Russia on notice. NATO’s open door policy allows nation-states to initiate membership plans if they meet guidelines delineated in Article X of the North Atlantic Charter. Finland and Sweden are ideal NATO candidates.
Putin’s December 2021 demands that NATO membership revert back to 1997, when there were no new members, is both unrealistic and threatening to European security. Putin is asking NATO to accept Russia’s self-designated spheres of influence, which include former Cold War era Warsaw Pact members and ex-Soviet republics now in NATO. Put simply, Putin wants to rebuild the Soviet Union.
Finland and Sweden have significant security concerns with their larger and aggressive neighbor to the east. Finland has a complicated history with Russia. It averted Soviet occupation in the Winter War of 1939-1940, but lost a tenth of its territory after it aligned with Nazi Germany during World War II. Finland’s 1948 Friendship Treaty gave rise to “Finlandization,” in which Russia would accept Finnish independence in exchange for Finland abstaining from military integration with the U.S. and its allies."...
..."Russian military threats against Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s unpredictability are forcing Sweden and Finland to reconsider their policy of non-alignment toward NATO. If admitted, each would enhance security in NATO’s northeastern flank and put Russia on notice. NATO’s open door policy allows nation-states to initiate membership plans if they meet guidelines delineated in Article X of the North Atlantic Charter. Finland and Sweden are ideal NATO candidates.
Putin’s December 2021 demands that NATO membership revert back to 1997, when there were no new members, is both unrealistic and threatening to European security. Putin is asking NATO to accept Russia’s self-designated spheres of influence, which include former Cold War era Warsaw Pact members and ex-Soviet republics now in NATO. Put simply, Putin wants to rebuild the Soviet Union.
Finland and Sweden have significant security concerns with their larger and aggressive neighbor to the east. Finland has a complicated history with Russia. It averted Soviet occupation in the Winter War of 1939-1940, but lost a tenth of its territory after it aligned with Nazi Germany during World War II. Finland’s 1948 Friendship Treaty gave rise to “Finlandization,” in which Russia would accept Finnish independence in exchange for Finland abstaining from military integration with the U.S. and its allies."...
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