While Ukraine saw no sign of the Russian occupation coming to an end in the short term, Finland and Sweden began discussing possible NATO membership (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Faced with this prospect, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the country would “have to take retaliatory measures”. This Thursday (12), the conflict completed 78 days.
Both Sweden and Finland have adopted military neutrality since the Cold War. But after Russia cited NATO’s progress in the region as one of the reasons it invaded Ukraine, both countries felt threatened by Russia’s plans to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltic region.
A statement signed today by Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said, “Being a NATO member will strengthen security in Finland. As a NATO member, Finland will strengthen the alliance as a whole.”
interviewer UOL In March, Norwegian anthropologist Erika Fatland warned that all Russia’s neighbors should fear an invasion – including Finland, which has a 1,300-kilometer land border with the country. The author visited 14 countries that border Russia to write the book “The Frontier” (A Fronteira to be published in Brazil by publisher Âyné).
According to an opinion poll published by Finnish public broadcaster YLE, 76% of the country’s population supports NATO membership. Before the war, only 25% of residents advocated joining the military alliance.
Since April, the Finnish and Swedish governments have been discussing the possibility of joining NATO; both plan to announce a decision by next Monday (16). The United States, Germany and France found themselves ready to facilitate the entry of the two countries.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said that Russia is “the most direct threat to world order today, with its barbaric war against Ukraine and its alarming pact with China”.
Russia retaliates
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that if countries join NATO, “Russia will have to take retaliatory measures, both military-technical and other, in order to prevent threats to its national security arising in this context.”
“Helsinki should be aware of the responsibility and consequences of such a move,” the dossier says.
Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a more moderate statement, saying the country’s reaction “depends on how strong the military infrastructure is”. [da Otan] approaching our borders,” he said.
Attacks and Negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today he is ready to negotiate with Russian leader Vladimir Putin unless there is an “ultimatum”.
“We want you to understand that our society is very peaceful, we’ve been wanting to negotiate for eight years. I’m ready to talk to Putin, but without an ultimatum,” he said in an interview with the Italian talk show, “Door to Door.”
Also today:
- A Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile radar station in Odessa was hit by Russian attacks;
- Russian forces also claim to have hit a missile and weapons depot in Kharkov;
- The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 320 fighters were killed between yesterday and today;
- Ukrainians claim to have killed 300 Russian soldiers in the last 24 hours.
With information from AFP, ANSA, Reuters and RFI
source: Noticias
