Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a joint news conference by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Russia February 18, 2022. Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Kremlin via REUTERS

LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Thursday that Finland’s NATO membership was “certainly” a threat to Russia and that expanding the military bloc would not make Europe or the world more stable.

Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Finland’s move to join NATO was a cause for regret and a reason to impose a symmetrical response .

Finland’s president and prime minister said earlier on Thursday that their country must apply to join the NATO military alliance “without delay”.

When asked if this posed a threat to Russia, Peskov replied: “Certainly. NATO expansion does not make our continent more stable and secure.”

He said Finland had joined “hostile measures” against Russia.

Asked what form Russia’s response would take, he said: “It will all depend on how this process of[NATO’s]expansion unfolds, how close the military infrastructure gets to our borders.

Prior to Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Finland had maintained since World War II a policy of neutrality towards Russia, with which it shares a 1,340 km (830 mile) border. .

The country is now likely to join NATO this year, alongside neighbor Sweden, another traditionally neutral power that had refrained from joining the US-led alliance. nL2N2X40BX]

Reuters reporting; Editing by Mark Trevelyan

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