MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/. Sweden and Finland may join NATO at their own risk and face the consequences, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev cautioned in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty on Monday.

Stockholm and Helsinki accession to NATO does not add any new threats, he noted. "These countries used to have relations with Russia that could be called quite respectful and mutually friendly. Though, of course, different things happened in the past," Medvedev went on to say.

"We have no territorial disputes with these countries currently and do not anticipate any, there are no reasons for them whatsoever. If they feel themselves better and safer by joining the alliance, let them do it," the politician added.

Medvedev pointed out that NATO was already close to Russia's borders, even without Sweden and Finland. "But, of course, we will be ready for counter-moves," he cautioned.

The politician went on to add that decades of experience show that the aggravation in relations with Russia is "senseless and not cheap.".