Promises retaliatory steps if Finland joins the alliance.
Finland announced it intends to apply to join NATO, causing a reaction within Russia Thursday morning. Russia sees NATO as a national security threat and pointed to its expansion as a reason for its invasion of Ukraine. While the war was, in part, designed to discourage a continued growth of the defensive alliance, Russia’s aggression has caused its neighbors concerned. As a result, NATO has indicated a willingness to fast-track some countries’ applications.
Russia sees this as entirely unacceptable. A Kremlin spokesman said the nation will take “retaliatory steps, both of a military-technical and other nature, in order to stop threats to its national security arising. Helsinki must be aware of the responsibility and consequences of such a move.”
The expansion of NATO motivated former Russian President Dimitry Medvedev to warn that those countries’ involvement risks a massive escalation by Russia. In a telegram, he wrote, “Such a conflict [open conflict between NATO and Russia instead of a ‘war by proxy’] always has the risk of turning into a full-fledged nuclear war.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For discernment for the president and Pentagon officials as they monitor the Kremlin’s moves.
- For U.S. foreign policy advisors as Russia threatens nuclear war.
- For U.S. and NATO officials to be wise in their responses to Russia.
- For the people of Ukraine as the conflict in that nation continues.
Sources: Reuters, New York Times, Washington Examiner
