The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that if nuclear weapons were to be deployed by the United States in northern Europe, Moscow would deem the storage sites as “legitimate targets.”
According to a press briefing, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that these facilities will undoubtedly pose a direct threat and will be considered legitimate targets in the event of a military confrontation between Russia and NATO. She mentioned this, highlighting the potential danger associated with such facilities.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s recent statement about Finland’s membership in NATO potentially providing the country with a “real nuclear deterrent” through American missiles has sparked discussions. Stubb mentioned that the Finnish government would need to consider modifying legislation to allow the presence of nuclear weapons in the country.
U.S. officials have not publicly responded to Stubb’s remarks, nor have they indicated any plans to deploy nuclear weapons to Finland. Newsweek contacted the White House and Stubb’s office via email on Wednesday for comment, but no response has been received yet.
According to Zakharova, the presence of U.S. nuclear weapons in Finland or any other country in northern Europe would not enhance the security of these host countries. On the contrary, it would pose a threat and weaken their security.
In addition, she cautioned the people of Finland about Stubb’s remarks.
According to Zakharova, there is a significant question regarding the level of awareness among the people of Finland about the risks they will encounter. She emphasizes that such a decision will result in significant changes, particularly in terms of the country’s security and other relevant issues.
According to a spokesperson, if nuclear weapons were to be deployed in countries near Russia’s borders, it would undoubtedly lead to a military confrontation between Russia and NATO.
In April 2023, Finland joined NATO, significantly increasing the number of shared borders between NATO and Russia.
The admission of Finland into the bloc was seen by many as a diplomatic setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has made it clear that one of his goals for the war in Ukraine was to prevent NATO from expanding on Russia’s borders. Interestingly, it was the Ukraine war that prompted both Finland and Sweden to submit their applications to join NATO in May 2022.
In a significant development, Sweden has officially crossed the final obstacle on its path to becoming a member of NATO. The approval from Hungary’s parliament has paved the way for Sweden’s accession into the alliance. The process will be concluded upon Sweden’s submission of the necessary formal documentation. This milestone brings Sweden one step closer to joining the ranks of NATO’s member nations.
