Russia’s Response to NATO Structures in Finland Will Be Adequate: Ambassador
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia's reaction to the potential deployment of NATO command structures in Finland will not necessarily be symmetrical, Russian Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov said.
"For the time being, the Finnish authorities reportedly want to host some NATO command installations. Let's see how such statements translate into reality in the future. Russia will not let the alliance's military buildup on its borders go unanswered. Based on our national security interests, the response will be adequate, but not necessarily symmetrical," he said in an interview with TASS.
"Everyone recognizes that such decisions will now be made in Washington and Brussels, rather than Helsinki. However, it is unclear how Finland's refusal of many years of military non-alignment and the loss of a significant part of its autonomy in terms of security and external politics can help safeguard its national interests," the ambassador noted.
According to Kuznetsov, at the moment there are no plans to station foreign military bases or permanent military contingents on the country’s territory. "Any plans and actions of the Finnish and NATO military are closely monitored and taken into account in our defense planning," he said.
