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Putin says Finland becoming a member of NATO can be a “mistake” as there isn’t any risk to Finland’s safety
HELSINKI, Finland (NATO) — Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke along with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday in regards to the Nordic nation’s software for NATO membership, anticipated to be introduced this weekend, his workplace mentioned.
The cellphone name, which was “initiated by Finland… was direct and easy and it was carried out with out aggravations. Avoiding tensions was thought of essential,” Niinisto was quoted as saying in a press release by his workplace.
However the Kremlin responded by saying that Putin seen any finish to Finland’s navy neutrality as a “mistake.”
“Putin harassed that the top of the standard coverage of navy neutrality can be a mistake since there isn’t any risk to Finland’s safety,” it mentioned in a press release.
“Such a change within the nation’s political orientation can have a unfavorable affect on Russian-Finnish relations developed over years in a spirit of excellent neighbourliness and cooperation between companions,” the Kremlin added.
Finland is predicted to formally announce its NATO membership bid on Sunday.
Finnish International Minister Pekka Haavisto underlined that it was “crucial that we talk with our neighbour”, even when “we don’t ask any permission for our political steps”.
The minister was talking from Berlin, the place he was in search of to take away a possible barrier to his nation’s accession plans — Turkey.
– Ukraine invasion swung opinion –
Accusing Finland and Sweden of harbouring “terrorist organisations”, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had mentioned he did “not have a optimistic opinion” on their membership bids.
Arriving for talks in Berlin with NATO counterparts in addition to Haavisto and Sweden’s overseas minister, Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated the accusations towards the Nordic international locations.
However he did sign readiness for discussions.
“A giant majority of the Turkish persons are towards the membership of these international locations who’re supporting PKK terrorist group … however these are the problems that we have to discuss after all with our NATO allies in addition to these international locations,” he mentioned.
The PKK is the Kurdistan Staff’ Celebration, which has been outlawed in Turkey and designated a terrorist organisation within the UK, European Union and america.
Haavisto in the meantime mentioned he was “assured that in the long run we are going to discover a resolution and Finland (and) Sweden will turn out to be members of NATO”.
Moscow’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine has swung political and public opinion in Finland and neighbouring Sweden in favour of NATO membership as a deterrent towards Russian aggression.
Each international locations have lengthy cooperated with the Western navy alliance and are anticipated to have the ability to be a part of it shortly.
Sweden, like Finland historically non-aligned, can be anticipated to announce its personal NATO membership bid within the coming days.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly mentioned they might be welcomed “with open arms”.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin mentioned Saturday that her nation was “ready for various kinds of motion” from Moscow.
“However there isn’t any info indicating Russia will provoke navy motion towards Finland,” she mentioned.
– Electrical energy provide suspended –
Marin and Niinisto had mentioned on Thursday that they needed the nation to affix NATO “directly”.
Moscow responded by saying it could “undoubtedly” see Finnish membership as a risk, warning that it could be “pressured to take reciprocal steps, military-technical and different, to handle the ensuing threats”.
On Saturday, the Finnish grid operator mentioned that Russia suspended electrical energy provides to Finland in a single day after its power agency RAO Nordic threatened to chop off provides over fee arrears.
“It’s at zero for the time being, and that began from midnight as deliberate,” Timo Kaukonen, supervisor for operational planning at Fingrid, mentioned.
However, Finland — which solely imports about 10 p.c of its energy from Russia — mentioned the shortfall was being made up by imports from Sweden.
Based on Helsinki, Niinisto informed Putin “how basically the Russian calls for in late 2021 aiming at stopping international locations from becoming a member of NATO and Russia’s huge invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have altered the safety atmosphere of Finland”.
Already on Thursday, Niinisto had informed Russia: “You brought on this. Look within the mirror.”
© Agence France-Presse
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