Putin bows, signals acceptance of Finland, Sweden joining NATO
May 18, 2022
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Vladimir Putin has signalled Russia will tolerate Finland and Sweden joining Nato, but warned the Kremlin would respond if the alliance installed military bases or equipment in either country.


The Russian president said on Monday the proposed Nato enlargement posed “no direct threat for Russia”, adding he had “no problems” with either Finland or Sweden.

Speaking on a day that Sweden formally announced its membership application while acknowledging it would remain “vulnerable” until it joined, Putin warned that “expanding military infrastructure on to this territory would provoke a response from us [ . . .] based on the threats they create for us”.



His comments appeared to indicate the Kremlin could live with Finnish and Swedish Nato membership provided the military alliance did not dispatch arms or troops to the two countries — as it did in the Baltic states and eastern Europe in the run-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden has repeatedly said it does not want Nato military bases on its soil or to host nuclear missiles. Finland is thought to be unlikely to want either but said on Sunday that it would not set conditions before its membership.



But Turkey continued to be a thorn in the side of the Nordic nations’ applications with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warning again on Monday night that he would not accept them.

His comments prompted Nato secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, to ring Turkey’s foreign minister to tell him “we must stand together at this historic moment”. Finland’s prime minister Sanna Marin said: “Of course, these messages are worrying.”



Putin said Nato expansion in itself was “a completely artificial problem because it’s all done in US interests”.

He added: “The problem has basically come out of nothing, but we’ll react to it appropriately” and also complained that Nato was trying to “control and influence the international security situation in other parts of the world, not for the best”.



Russia learns a hard lesson about the folly of war

The proposed Nato expansion highlights the extent to which Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed the geopolitical map of Europe. It is a significant setback for Putin, who justified the invasion by saying he wanted to prevent the alliance from expanding further east.

Instead, the enlargement will double the alliance’s frontier with Russia and in Sweden’s case break with two centuries of neutrality.

Samuel Charap, a senior political scientist at the Rand Corporation, said Russia was trying to make the best of a situation beyond its control by drawing a line similar to constraints on Norway’s Nato membership during the Cold War.

“They’re not in a position to be fighting a second war,” Charap said. “Occupying and invading Finland is far-fetched. They’re signalling they’re not going to do more than establish conditions.”



Tatiana Stanovaya, the founder of Russian political consultancy R. Politik, said Putin’s comments showed he saw Nato as a threat to Russia’s traditional dominance of its former empire, rather than a strategic military problem.

“So Nato can exist in the west, but not in our backyard. Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova are historically our backyard,” she wrote on messaging app Telegram.

Sweden and Finland will send in their applications for Nato later this week.

Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson formally announced her country’s membership bid on Monday alongside centre-right opposition leader Ulf Kristersson, which is a sign of unity ahead of parliamentary elections in September.

“Sweden will be in a vulnerable position while our application is being processed,” said Andersson.

For both Finland and Sweden, the period between application and actual membership could last between four and 12 months. But while Finland has said it is calm and prepared for whatever Russia may throw at it, Sweden has said it is worried about potential cyber and hybrid attacks.

Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Danish premier Mette Frederiksen added that they would come to Finland’s or Sweden’s aid should either be attacked before they were covered by Nato’s Article 5 collective defence pledge.

The UK has also promised to come to Sweden and Finland’s aid, including with military assets if they come under attack and request assistance.

Jacob Wallenberg, Sweden’s leading industrialist, became the country’s most prominent business figure to come out in favour of Nato membership on Monday when he said joining would be “positive” and that doing so together with Finland was important.

Vanguard News Nigeria

Cool.. Putin knows how to play

Pls drop a link for confirmation..

Definition of a weak clown..weaker than thepresident of a s**hit hole called Nigeria..
Two mindless president.. Putin and his friend in Nigeria..

Bad news for USA

They expected Russia to attack

Russia is not that dumb

vastolord4:
Cool.. Putin knows how to play

Very smart move

USA thought Russia will attack to over stress their military

O.P please download the book " Art of War, by Sun Tzu".
It help enlighten you.

Kingpin1000:
O.P please download the book " Art of War, by Sun Tzu".
It help enlighten you.

I read it probably before you even knew about it.

joyandfaith:


I read it probably before you even knew about it.

Russia is being deceptive. They aren't saying anything because they are moving arms to the Finnish border.

Finally he has admitted his failure to stop NATO from coming close to Russia's doorsteps.

If he had seen this coming, he would have thought twice before Invading Ukraine.

NATO would station troops in the Finnish border with Russia and there is nothing he can do about it.

Putin is a Big Fat Loser.

Kingpin1000:

Russia is being deceptive. They aren't saying anything because they are moving arms to the Finnish border.

Are there any military leaders who are not being deceptive? Tsar, Napoleon , Hitler, Stalin, George Bush were also deceptive. War is about lie, deception, greediness, selfishness and criminality.

Lol. After the idiot distabilized the whole world, Putin is covid '22.

ken6488:
Very smart move

USA thought Russia will attack to over stress their military

The countries know he dares not, more will join NATO soon. Putin is highly predictable

Kingpin1000:

Russia is being deceptive. They aren't saying anything because they are moving arms to the Finnish border.

What's the use of satellite image if u can detect it before American intelligence. U won't be part of putin's kitchen cabinet to have inside info

FERNANDEZISBACK:
Pls drop a link for confirmation..

Definition of a weak clown..weaker than thepresident of a s**hit hole called Nigeria..
Two mindless president.. Putin and his friend in Nigeria..

You are not smart enough to know the game.
You shouldn't let your emotions rule you.
Be smart.

Kingpin1000:

You are not smart enough to know the game.
You shouldn't let your emotions rule you.
Be smart.

I know how painful it is for you right now.. take a chill pill and you will be fine .. little boy..

lecowas:


What's the use of satellite image if u can detect it before American intelligence. U won't be part of putin's kitchen cabinet to have inside info

Kingpin1000 is an ignorant little boy who knows nothing about this war..all he does is cry on people's mention once the bar is against his master Putin..
Don't take him serious..he knows nothing..

lecowas:


The countries know he dares not, more will join NATO soon. Putin is highly predictable

What country? China

FERNANDEZISBACK:

I know how painful it is for you right now.. take a chill pill and you will be fine .. little boy..

Oga, don't be too emotional, when NATO fall, it won't be of any benefit to you, there is nothing that concerns NATO or Russia with you.
You are being too emotional to be called a man

Kingpin1000:

Oga, don't be too emotional, when NATO fall, it won't be of any benefit to you, there is nothing that concerns NATO or Russia with you.
You are being too emotional to be called a man

I am not you....
I feel ya pain..Putin bow to Finland and Ukraine..that's what matter..your tears should be saved for some other time..
It won't be of any benefit why then are you embarrassing yourself here..keep mute and don't comment on the thread if its not gonna be of any benefit to you..

You know nothing.. absolutely nothing..so when human speak you need to shh and observe..
Sshh and think about your life..Putin is of no benefit to you then stop parading the whole place with your babyish attitude..

FERNANDEZISBACK:

Kingpin1000 is an ignorant little boy who knows nothing about this war..all he does is cry on people's mention once the bar is against his master Putin..
Don't take him serious..he knows nothing..

Why are you ranting?
You are not even part of the war.
You live in Nigeria and You wont be travelling to Europe or America in this lifetime l, so why being emotional in a matter that doesn't concern uou

Kingpin1000:

Why are you ranting?
You are not even part of the war.
You live in Nigeria and You wont be travelling to Europe or America in this lifetime l, so why being emotional in a matter that doesn't concern uou

Read what I said...keep.mute since the war is of no concern to you..you quoted me first..broke the rule by doing that..the matter doesn't concern your p**r self..go and meet ya m**mma..you are too young to understand that tho..maybe when you grow up..

You know nothing...all you have to do is keep your wide mouth shut and stop contradicting yourself..just shut up and make your mo**@ proud..
A little boy who's killing himself over his master Putin is telling me the war is of no concern to me..boy shh and go do something with your life instead of making comments on topic you have no idea about..you are ignorant about war..so pls shhhh and go play with ya fellow kids..

Look at the same boy..you are too mindless..you really have to grow up and start taking responsibility of your life..

Bow for who fake news

joyandfaith:


I read it probably before you even knew about it.

He surely does not understand the content of the book.

FERNANDEZISBACK:

I am not you....
I feel ya pain..Putin bow to Finland and Ukraine..that's what matter..your tears should be saved for some other time..
It won't be of any benefit why then are you embarrassing yourself here..keep mute and don't comment on the thread if its not gonna be of any benefit to you..

You know nothing.. absolutely nothing..so when human speak you need to shh and observe..
Sshh and think about your life..Putin is of no benefit to you then stop parading the whole place with your babyish attitude..

read the post before spamming bruh
talks with Russia were made and they agreed to Russia conditions lmao �

ken6488:
Very smart move

USA thought Russia will attack to over stress their military

That's what the US wants so NATO will end Russia with a justifiable win and it would be easy for "0thers" to believe Russia was wrong all along

The guy fears NATO. With a budget this big, who wouldn't

Compared to russias CSTO ( I never chop countries)

The Putin I know will attack... He's just bringing out those signals to delay the NATO membership outcome! If he won't attack then why did he send nuclear warheads to the border with Finland? Anyone who thinks Putin won't attack should go back in time and read small history about Putin. When he was occupying the borders of Ukraine with his soldiers, he said it was just a military exercise and they won't make any step into Ukraine. Even Zelensky told Biden that he was inaccurate with his intelligence that Russia have no plans to attack them. However, today is another story all together.

He knows very well that soon as Finland and Sweden joins NATO, they'll advance in defence and nuclear warheads will be installed and there's nothing he can do about it. He knows that for NATO countries to openly arm Ukraine such that he could not demilitarise them and install a president, they would do same for Sweden and Finland. So, thinking that Putin is not planning an Attack on both Sweden and Finland is a joke.

vastolord4:


That's what the US wants so NATO will end Russia with a justifiable win and it would be easy for "0thers" to believe Russia was wrong all along

Chess game

adebayo987:
The Putin I know will attack... He's just bringing out those signals to delay the NATO membership outcome! If he won't attack then why did he send nuclear warheads to the border with Finland? Anyone who thinks Putin won't attack should go back in time and read small history about Putin. When he was occupying the borders of Ukraine with his soldiers, he said it was just a military exercise and they won't make any step into Ukraine. Even Zelensky told Biden that he was inaccurate with his intelligence that Russia have no plans to attack them. However, today is another story all together.

He knows very well that soon as Finland and Sweden joins NATO, they'll advance in defence and nuclear warheads will be installed and there's nothing he can do about it. He knows that for NATO countries to openly arm Ukraine such that he could not demilitarise them and install a president, they would do same for Sweden and Finland. So, thinking that Putin is not planning an Attack on both Sweden and Finland is a joke.

He should better attack now. Germany lost ww2 because her army was attacking in many fronts.

joyandfaith:


He should better attack now. Germany lost ww2 because her army was attacking in many fronts.

Soldiers don't just attack without mapping the place first and that's what he's doing now. All these statements are just to delay the membership process because he knows he can't attack them as soon as they become a member. So, he's just buying time for his military intelligence to finish their accessment. He'll definitely attack if they fail to join fast.

Remember he told them it would be a grave mistake?
Now he said they're not a threat...
They're all delay tactics! It worked for him in Ukraine. So, he's still using the same strategy.

adebayo987:
Soldiers don't just attack without mapping the place first and that's what he's doing now. All these statements are just to delay the membership process because he knows he can't attack them as soon as they become a member. So, he's just buying time for his military intelligence to finish their accessment. He'll definitely attack if they fail to join fast.

Remember he told them it would be a grave mistake?
Now he said they're not a threat...
They're all delay tactics! It worked for him in Ukraine. So, he's still using the same strategy.

Hitler thought so. Alexander the great was successful in his campaign because he fought one battle at a time. There is no invincible military in the world. Any miscalculation leads to military failure.