Putin warn Finland and Sweden ,There will be no more talks over free nuclear status in Baltic region

Adding Finland and Sweden to NATO would redraw Northern Europe’s security picture, bringing the alliance’s border right to the more than 800-mile Finnish-Russian frontier

Russia warned Finland and Sweden on Thursday that if they join NATO, Moscow will reinforce the Baltic Sea region, including with nuclear weapons.

The threat came a day after Finnish officials suggested that their country could request to join the 30-member military alliance within weeks and as Sweden mulled making a similar move.

Helsinki and Stockholm are officially nonaligned militarily, but they are reconsidering their status in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — leading to escalated warnings from Russia.

Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Thursday that NATO expansion would lead Moscow to strengthen air, land and naval forces to “balance” military capability in the region.

“If Sweden and Finland join NATO, the length of the land borders of the alliance with the Russian Federation will more than double. Naturally, these boundaries will have to be strengthened,” he wrote on Telegram.

“There can be no more talk of any nuclear-free status for the Baltic — the balance must be restored,” Medvedev said.

Putin’s war moves Finland and Sweden closer to joining NATO

His comments echo those of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who told British media last week that if the two Nordic countries join NATO, Russia would be forced to “rebalance the situation.” He added, “We’ll have to make our western flank more sophisticated in terms of ensuring our security.”“There can be no more talk of any nuclear-free status for the Baltic — the balance must be restored,” Medvedev said.

Putin’s war moves Finland and Sweden closer to joining NATO

His comments echo those of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who told British media last week that if the two Nordic countries join NATO, Russia would be forced to “rebalance the situation.” He added, “We’ll have to make our western flank more sophisticated in terms of ensuring our security.”