If the Kremlin sought after to forestall Nato growth – that’s additionally now not precisely going in keeping with plan.
Lately, Sweden adopted Finland to verify it will follow to sign up for the army alliance, each risking the wrath of Moscow.
Sweden has pursued a coverage of neutrality for 200 years – whilst Helsinki’s non-alignment is fuelled by way of fears over the safety of its lengthy 830-mile border with Russia.
However now that frontier may just quickly belong to Nato – simply 250 miles from St Petersburg.
In Moscow these days, President Putin claimed that Russia had no downside with both nation becoming a member of Nato, however he warned that the “growth of army infrastructure into this territory would undoubtedly galvanize our reaction… we will see what threats are created for us”.