Putin voices concerns over Finland's NATO partnership following Western involvement

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that the inclusion of neighboring Finland in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) earlier this year will lead to "problems." This move marked a significant change in the security dynamics of northern Europe and increased the NATO-Russia border by approximately 1,300 kilometers (830 miles).

President Putin was also greatly affected by this, as he has consistently cautioned against the expansion of NATO. In an interview published on Sunday, he expressed his frustration by stating, "They (the West) took Finland and brought it into NATO! Why? Did we have any disputes with Finland? All disputes, including territorial ones from the mid-20th century, have already been resolved." This was a significant blow to his stance on NATO expansion.

Putin stated in an interview with Russian state broadcaster Russia 1 that the creation of the Leningrad military district and the concentration of military units will lead to potential problems. He also deemed US President Joe Biden's warning about a potential Russian attack on a NATO ally and involving US troops as "complete nonsense."

The Russian leader stated that Russia has no intention or interest in engaging in conflict with NATO countries, whether for geopolitical, economic, political, or military reasons. He also emphasized that Moscow does not have any territorial claims in NATO countries and expressed a desire to strengthen and develop relations with them.

Border spat

Finland became the 31st member of NATO when it joined in April, doubling the security alliances direct frontier with Russia.

Prior to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, he had already requested NATO to restrict its expansion. However, it was the war that brought about a shift in Finland's security environment, leading to the Nordic nation's decision to seek membership in the alliance, as stated by President Sauli Niinistö in May 2022.

Shortly after applying for NATO membership, the Finnish government allocated approximately $143 million to construct barrier fences along Finland's previously unprotected 830-mile eastern border with Russia.

The interior minister of Finland has announced the closure of the country's eastern border with Russia for a period of one month. This decision comes as a response to a significant increase in migrant crossings, which the Finnish government has characterized as a Russian hybrid attack.

Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/AFP/Getty Images

Finland again shut its entire border with Russia this week, over claims hundreds of people were trying to cross without a visa.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has accused Russia of enabling the instrumentalization of people and guiding them to the Finnish border in harsh winter conditions, following another closure announced last month. He stated that Finland is determined to put an end to this phenomenon." Reporting by CNN's Eve Brennan and Catherine Nicholls.