Russian Dep FM-FIN, SWE Joining NATO 'Mistake w/Far-Reaching Consequences'

Russia's state-run RIA carries comments from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stating that Finland and Sweden's decisions to join the NATO alliance is a mistake 'with far-reaching consequences'.

• Ryabkov: "They should not have any illusions that we will simply put up with this, as well as in Brussels , Washington and other NATO capitals. That is, the general level of military tension will increase, and there will be less predictability in this area. It's a pity, that common sense is sacrificed to some phantom ideas about what should be done in the current situation,"
• On Sunday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto confirmed the gov'ts intention to join the alliance. A day earlier he had held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a call that Niinisto described as "calm and cool".
• Also on Sunday, Sweden's governing Social Democrats agreed to support NATO membership, paving the way for the country to join the alliance.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised his own concerns with both countries joining the alliance, stating on Friday that, “Scandinavian countries are like guesthouses for terrorist organisations. To go even further, they have seats in their parliaments, too.” Given the full-throated support for the Nordic applications from the major defence contributors to NATO it remains to be seen whether Turkey will hold out on its opposition should the US, UK, France and others seek to pressure Ankara.