MOSCOW: A senior Russian diplomat, as reported by the RIA news agency on Thursday, has stated that Finland’s proximity to Russia positions it as the first country to be impacted should tensions between Russia and NATO escalate.
This year, Finland shifted from its decades-long neutral stance by joining NATO, a decision that Russia perceives as turning Helsinki into a hostile participant from its perspective.
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“They had lived calmly and in peace and suddenly ended up between Russia and NATO as a member of that alliance, but since they are our neighbours, if, God forbid there is some escalation, they will be the first to suffer,” Mikhail Ulyanov, permanent representative of Russia to international organisations in Vienna, told RIA.
This month, Russia issued a warning to Finland regarding a fresh defense agreement that extends extensive access to the area near the Finnish border with Russia for the United States.
