The Kremlin: Sweden's accession to NATO will have "negative" repercussions on Russia's security

The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that Sweden's accession to NATO would have "negative consequences" for Russia's security, following Turkey's approval of the Scandinavian country's entry into the alliance.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that this decision would have "negative consequences, that's for sure," adding that Russia would take "planned and scheduled" measures in response to it.

When asked about Ankara's approval of this move, Peskov considered Turkey to be a "member of NATO with specific commitments to fulfill," affirming that Moscow "understands the situation very well."

Peskov acknowledged the existence of "differences" between Russia and Turkey, emphasizing that the two countries "do not hide that. But part of our relationship is in the interests of both countries... and that is important enough" for the Kremlin.

Despite being a member of NATO, Turkey has maintained close ties with Russia in the aftermath of the Ukrainian conflict.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Monday night, on the eve of the summit of allies in Vilnius, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had dropped his reservations about Sweden's accession and pledged to present the membership protocol to the parliament for approval "as soon as possible."

Finland and Sweden submitted their applications to join the alliance in May 2022, just three months after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The move by the neighboring Scandinavian countries represents a strategic shift after decades of neutrality and non-alignment since the Cold War.

Following NATO's approval of Finland's accession, the Kremlin threatened to take "countermeasures" against what it considered "a threat to our security and national interests."




AFP