Vladimir Zelensky/Office of the President
Russia was so afraid of Ukraine's entry into NATO that it pushed other neighbors with whom it shares a common border with the Alliance.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the Ukrainian Breakfast via video link, which is being held as part of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Among other things, they talked about NATO, as well as joining the Alliance of Sweden and Finland, Channel 24 reports.
“Look at Finland, at Sweden. They decided to join NATO. I would even say so – Russia “pushed Ukraine into NATO, and then pushed Finland and Sweden into NATO with the war in Ukraine. That's how it is. And everyone is for this alliance. Everyone wants to unite in order to live,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
borders of Russia
Russia threatened the whole world because of the possible entry of Ukraine into NATO. The Kremlin said that they would not allow the Alliance to be near Russian borders. Although the same Latvia and Estonia have long been in NATO. And the Kaliningrad region was cordoned off from all sides by the countries of the Alliance – Poland and Lithuania. But they could not do anything, because NATO membership protects thanks to the fifth article of the North Atlantic Treaty, where an attack on one NATO member country is considered an attack on all countries of the Alliance. Including USA, UK, Germany and France.
Now Russia can get a much larger border with NATO countries. If Finland does join the Alliance, then the length of such a border will increase by more than 1300 kilometers.
As for Sweden, the Russians are afraid of the island of Gotland, which propagandists have already threatened to seize. After all, it is in the Baltic Sea, and not so far from Kaliningrad, where the headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet is located.
Russia has already promised to give an “adequate response” to the possible entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO.
Lack of unity
True, on the example of Finland and Sweden, which applied for membership in NATO, the Ukrainian president drew attention to the lack of unity in the West. This is manifested both in relation to Ukraine and other countries.
“Is there now unity on the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO? No, no. So, there is a strong united West? No. That's all” , – Vladimir Zelensky summed up.
Before that, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he does not see unity on the European continent in relation to Ukraine and its future. And he considers it unfair.
Who opposes the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO
Sweden and Finland have decided to submit a joint application for NATO membership. Before that, both countries did not join the Alliance due to the corresponding moods of the local population.
But after Russia launched a war against Ukraine, many countries realized that they were unlikely to stand up to the military aggression of the unbalanced head of the Kremlin on their own. On May 17, they submitted applications for joining NATO.
However, all member countries of the Alliance should agree on joining NATO. And here a problem arose with Turkey, which has certain claims both to Sweden and Finland, and to some other countries of the Alliance. She voiced them publicly.
First of all, because of the support of the Kurds – the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Fethullah Gülen Movement. They are considered terrorist associations in Turkey, while at the same time considerable support in the Scandinavian countries.
The second requirement is the cancellation against Turkey of the supply of weapons. It was imposed in 2019, when Turkey began hostilities in Syria.
Before that, journalists published other demands made by Turkey. Among them was a demand to lift sanctions due to Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems. And also give it the opportunity to buy US military aircraft F-16 and allow the development of the F-35. All this was stopped after Turkey bought Russian weapons.
