Washington | Russia may have a muted response to Finland and Sweden’s decision to seek NATO membership despite earlier threats of retaliation, President Vladimir Putin suggested on Monday (Tuesday AEST), as the Kremlin reckons with the transformation of Europe’s security order triggered by its invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Putin said Finland and Sweden’s entry into NATO did not represent an imminent danger to Russia, even though their accession, if finalised, would add hundreds of kilometres to Russia and NATO’s shared border. But, the Russian leader cautioned, the same would not be true if NATO staged a military build-up in the two countries.

Washington Post