Moscow will respond if Nato moves nuclear forces near border

>>NEW YORK: Moscow will take adequate precautionary measures if Nato deploys nuclear forces and infrastructure closer to Russia’s border, Russian news agencies quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko as saying yesterday.

“It will be necessary to respond ... by taking adequate precautionary measures that would ensure the viability of deterrence,” Interfax agency quoted Mr Grushko as saying.

Moscow has no hostile intentions towards Finland and Sweden and does not see “real” reasons for those two countries to be joining the Nato alliance, Mr Grushko added.

He also reiterated the Kremlin’s earlier statement that Moscow’s response to Nato’s possible expansion will depend on how close the alliance moves military assets towards Russia and what infrastructure it deploys.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said on Friday the Nato member did not have a “positive opinion” on the two nations joining, throwing up a potential obstacle for their membership bid.

He spoke ahead of expected confirmations from the Nordic nations today that they will apply to join the Western military alliance, bringing about the expansion that Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed to prevent.

Mr Erdogan accused both countries of harbouring “terrorist organisations” in his unfavourable assessment of the membership bids.

“We do not have a positive opinion,” he told reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.

“Scandinavian countries are like a guesthouse for terror organisations.”

Turkey has long accused Nordic countries, especially Sweden which has a strong Turkish immigrant community, of harbouring extremist Kurdish groups as well as supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based preacher wanted over a failed 2016 coup.

Mr Erdogan cited a “mistake” made by Turkey’s former rulers who okayed Greece’s Nato membership in 1952. “We, as Turkey, do not want to make a second mistake on this issue.”