UPDATE - Russia To Ensure National Security After Swedish, Finnish Accession To NATO - Matviyenko

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2022) Russia will respond to the Swedish and Finnish accession to NATO depending on which weapons the alliance will deploy there, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko told the Izvestiya newspaper, adding that Russia will ensure its national security.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership on Wednesday.

"Primarily, the Russian military response will be proportionate and adequate to the NATO presence in these countries, to which weapons will be deployed there. But I can assure that the Russian security will be undoubtedly ensured," Matviyenko said.

She noted that these countries' decision to join NATO would have a negative impact on their cooperation with Russia.

"It is sad that this decision of the two countries may result in the decreasing cooperation between us," Matviyenko said.

The applications of Sweden and Finland faced an opposition from Turkey over these countries' support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Kurdish YPG militia, which are deemed terrorist organizations by Ankara.