Finland Times

 

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja. File Photo – Lehtikuva.

The position of Russian foreign minister on Finland and Sweden’s NATO convergence is not new or surprising, said Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.

 

According to Tuomioja, Russia’s stance against the enlargement of NATO is well-known.

 

The Finnish foreign minister’s remark followed a statement of Russian foreign minister released on Sunday saying that the military alliance of Finland and Sweden with NATO should be very worrying.

 

The Russian minister’s response came after the Norwegian daily Aftenposten on Thursday ran an op-ed text signed by five Nordic ministers outlining deepened defence cooperation among the Nordic countries.

 

According to the Aftenposten, the agreement is a result of Russia’s aggressive conduct in the vicinity of the Nordic countries.

 

Talking to the news agency STT on Sunday Tuomioja said the article on the Nordic defence ministers was a bit misleading, as Finland does not want to relay hostile intentions.

 

The defence ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland in the article said that, among other things, the security situation in the Nordic region has deteriorated significantly and that the countries must prepare for possible crises and events resulting from Russian actions. 

 

Tuomioja said as of Friday the Russians had not made any written response.

 

Earlier, Defence Minister Carl Haglund on Friday said defence cooperation among the Nordic countries is not something new.

 

According to Haglund, the defence cooperation is based on a previously agreed upon decision and not a case of a new project.

 

Haglund said the agreement was scheduled to be published in several newspapers in the Nordic countries; however, the Norwegian daily published it in advance.

 

Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry has posted an article on its website condemning a Nordic ministerial declaration that appeared in the Norwegian paper Aftenposten last Thursday, reported the national broadcaster Yle.