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Russia already developing measures reacting to Finland joining NATO — senior diplomat

Alexander Grushko stressed that any general staff in charge would consider the possibilities of implementing various development scenarios

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. Moscow has already begun developing response measures in order to reduce potential threats due to Finland’s accession to NATO, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told TASS on Tuesday.

"Naturally," the senior Russian diplomat said replying to a question on the matter.

He stressed that any general staff in charge would consider the possibilities of implementing various development scenarios. "Including those scenarios that presume the deployment of troops or foreign equipment on that country’s soil," he added. "In any case, Finland’s territory will be included in NATO’s operating plans. This will also be taken into account in [Russia’s] military planning," Grushko explained.

In May 2022, Helsinki and Stockholm submitted their applications to join the US-led military bloc but the process was blocked by Turkey who demanded that the two countries designate Kurdish organizations as terrorist groups, extradite those suspected of terrorism or being involved in the 2016 coup d’etat to Ankara, and lift bans on weapons supplies to Turkey. Talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, then Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg took place in Madrid on June 28, 2022. As a result, a memorandum was signed making it possible for Sweden and Finland to join NATO. Turkey’s parliament approved a draft bill on ratifying Finland’s NATO accession protocol on March 30. On Tuesday, Helsinki was officially admitted to the military alliance as its 31st member.

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Foreign policy NATO Finland

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