Finland and Sweden joining NATO would be a “big headache” for Russia, Lithuania's Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys believes.
“If we look at basic arithmetic, we have 30 countries now [in NATO] and we will have 32. But if we look at more numbers, we will have a very serious capability, because the Finnish and Swedish armed forces, especially the economic potential of Sweden and the potential of the state to develop its armed forces, is a big headache for Russia,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Read more: Lithuanian leaders welcome Finland’s moves to join NATO: ‘dramatic’ change to Baltic security
Earlier in the day, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin said “Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay” and the decision could be made “within the next few days”.
Sweden is also considering to become a NATO member.
According Rupšys, if Finland and Sweden were to join the alliance, that would greatly strengthen the region by making the Baltic “almost an inner sea of NATO”.
“From an operational perspective, in terms of our defensibility, especially looking at Article 5, I'd say this [...] creates a problem for Russia,” he said.
Finland has maintained a policy of neutrality since World War Two, but political and public opinion in the country swung dramatically in favour of NATO membership since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Read more: What would Sweden and Finland joining NATO mean for the Baltics?
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