Flag outside the Finnish Embassy in Moscow. File photoMOSCOW, June 6 Russia is not putting pressure on Finland because of the country's desire to join NATO, Antti Pelttari, head of the Finnish security police SUPO, told the Financial Times. The head of Finnish intelligence believes this fact «amazing».
"So far, everything is quite calm and let's hope that everything will remain so. It's good that nothing happens. The positive aspect is also that we are prepared and able to defend our society", said Pelttari.
At the same time, the head of SUPO did not specify what kind of reaction was expected in Helsinki from the Russian side.
" They are interested in what kind of member of the North Atlantic Alliance Finland will become, if this happens", the Finnish official suggested.
Finland and Sweden started talking about the possibility of abandoning their long-term neutrality and joining the North Atlantic Alliance against the backdrop of a Russian special operation in Ukraine. In mid-May, Helsinki and Stockholm filed applications to join the bloc, but their consideration was actually blocked by Turkey. Ankara put forward demands, including those regarding the Kurdistan Workers' Party banned in the republic, which the Scandinavian countries are not yet ready to fulfill. Russia has repeatedly stressed that NATO is aimed at confrontation. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that further expansion of the alliance would not bring greater security to Europe. At the same time, the Kremlin does not consider the entry of two Nordic countries into the organization an existential threat to Russia. President Vladimir Putin, in a conversation with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niiniste, stressed that abandoning the traditional policy of military neutrality would be a mistake, since there are no threats to the security of this state. jpg» /> China named four countermeasures of Russia in response to NATO expansion