NATO headquarters building in Brussels. File photoMOSCOW, May 4The entry of as yet neutral states into NATO will have negative consequences for peace and stability in Europe, said Konstantin Gavrilov, head of the Russian delegation at the talks in Vienna on military security and arms control .»Potential new members of the alliance from among the still neutral states will also automatically find themselves on the NATO «front line» and will be forced to «keep the line», following bloc discipline. The negative consequences for peace and stability in Europe, and for their own security, will be obvious «, he said, speaking at the 1008th plenary meeting of the Forum for Security Cooperation. Gavrilov's words are quoted by the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Finland and Sweden started talking about the possibility of abandoning their long-term neutrality and joining NATO against the backdrop of the Russian military operation in Ukraine. The head of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, noted that NATO would be glad to see Finland and Sweden in its ranks and provide them with the opportunity to quickly join. NATO expects these countries to make their own decisions about possible membership in the coming «months and weeks,» US Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith said. She added that the United States would welcome the accession of these countries to the alliance. Russia has repeatedly noted that NATO is aimed at confrontation. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov stated that further expansion of the alliance would not bring greater security to Europe, NATO has an aggressive character. At the same time, he noted that he does not consider the possible entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO an existential threat to Russia. space of struggle between the alliance and Russia
