The NATO block respects the strong and independent security policy of Finland and Sweden. The Alliance supports the right of sovereign nations to self-determination.
NATO Act's Twitter shared the corresponding statement by the block's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
"It is for Finland and Sweden alone to decide on your path. Not Russia. Not anyone else," – Stoltenberg mentioned.
The head of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Gerry Connolly has said previously that Finland and Sweden should debate possible NATO bids without intimidation by russia's nuclear threat.
These messages from the Alliance officials followed open threats from russia addressing non-aligned Finland and Sweden that are pondering on applying to join the block.
In particular, rf's former president Medvedev posted this week threatening that russia would increase its military presence in the Baltics region as the NATO accession by Finland and Sweden "endangers russia". He wrote that rf "will be forced to" strengthen its ground forces and air defense system and deploy the navy in the waters of the Gulf of Finland. He also said that "no non-nuclear status of the Baltic region will be out of the question."
He also threatened prices and taxes' increase, escalated tension along the borders, "Iskanders" and warships with nuclear weapons "literally at arm's length from your own home."
After russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, non-aligned Sweden and Finland expressed their readiness to join NATO. U.S. officials say that the countries might do that as early as this summer.