Sweden confirmed today, as Finland did yesterday, that it will apply for NATO membership. Noting parliament's "broad majority" support for joining the Western alliance, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters that Sweden will be "in a vulnerable position" until the membership process
is complete.
It should also be noted, however, that the UK signed a military security agreement with Sweden and Finland last Wednesday. So, some "vulnerability," but not unilateral vulnerability.
In addition, the danger of a Russian attack in the interim, between application and membership, is virtually nil, especially since the Russian Army, at this point, would be hard pressed to successfully invade Liechtenstein.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö talked with Vladimir Putin by phone on Saturday and characterized their conversation as "calm and cool." He said that Putin — almost unbelievably — told him that NATO membership "would be a mistake, since there is no threat to Finland’s security."
One wonders if the Russian tyrant simply enjoys playing games of comic irony, or if his brain is melting.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow would "follow very carefully what will be the consequences [of NATO's expansion] for our security, which must be ensured in an absolutely unconditional manner."
Everyone, of course, already knows the consequences. Realistically, Russia's security will be altogether unaffected. Rhetorically, Russia will cluck like a frenzied goose.
Meanwhile, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said "the fact that Finland and Sweden’s security will not be strengthened as a result of this is very clear to us." But they "should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it" — their actions are "another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences."
Finland's prime minister, Sanna Marin, had a straightforward and dispositive retort for all of Russia's goons, propagandists, hardliners and warmongers. She told parliament, as it readied to debate NATO membership today, that "the only country that threatens European security, and is now openly waging a war of aggression, is Russia."
And if Russia is genuinely worried about Russia's security, it should look inward. Rarely has one nation so willingly, singlehandedly and stupidly weakened itself.