Russia to respond with measures to Sweden's accession to NATO: Embassy
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Russian Embassy announces measures to "counter threats" following Sweden's NATO accession.
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A display shows results during a vote by lawmakers which is expected to approve Sweden's accession into NATO, in Budapest, Hungary, on February 26, 2024. (AP)
The Russian Embassy in Sweden announced Tuesday that Russia will undertake measures to counter threats to its national security following Sweden's NATO accession.
"Russia will take political and military-technical response measures to counter threats to its national security. Their specific content will depend on the conditions and scale of Sweden's integration into NATO, including the possible deployment of NATO contingents, strike systems, and weapons on the country's territory," the embassy said on Telegram.
The Russian mission stated that Sweden's accession to NATO would adversely impact the stability level in Northern Europe. The statement affirmed that despite assertions from Sweden's future "NATO relatives," the Baltic Sea will never be deemed an "internal NATO sea."
Hungary's parliament ratified Stockholm's application to join the alliance on Monday, marking the final NATO ally to do so.
Following Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid in January, Hungary emerged as the final obstacle. With Hungary's ratification, Sweden is set to become the 32nd member of the alliance.
In recent years, Russia has observed unprecedented NATO activity near its western borders, prompting repeated expressions of concern from Moscow about the alliance's force buildup in Europe. The Russian Foreign Ministry has emphasized its willingness to engage in dialogue with NATO on equal terms while urging the West to refrain from further "militarizing the continent".
