Finland’s entry into NATO will create “problems” where there are “none”, says Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Finland’s entry into NATO will be made this year “Problems” is there “nothing” and announced a military buildup in northwestern Russia in response.

“There was no problem there, but now there will be, because we are going to create the Leningrad Military District and concentrate a certain number of units there”He told a public television reporter in an interview broadcast on Sunday, during which he blamed the West “Draws Finland into NATO”.

Relations between the two neighbors, which share a 1,340-kilometer border, have deteriorated significantly since February 2022 and a Russian offensive in Ukraine led Finland, worried about its security, to join NATO in April 2023. “Ills [l’Occident] Finland joined NATO. Did we have any disagreements with them? All including the controversies of the mid-20th century^e Century, long settled »Mr. Putin announced.

Finland announced on Thursday that it would close its entire border with Russia. The decision will take effect from Friday at 8pm local time (7pm Paris time) and will remain in effect until January 14, according to Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Randanen.

Mr. Putin added, while US President Joe Biden raised the hypothesis of a Russian attack against a member state of the organization in early December. Russian President Mr. Biden had warned “I won’t stop[it] no” To Ukraine.

American leaders “The Demon of Russia”, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov fired back. Mr. For Putin, “This is rhetoric to justify a wrong policy towards Russia”. Moscow NA “No interest in going to war with NATO countries – on geopolitical, economic or military grounds”Mr. Putin promised.