Russia warns against expansion

Europe stability faces further threat, Kremlin says amid reported Sweden, Finland moves

Russia said on April 11 that the possible accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO military alliance would not bring stability to Europe.

“We have repeatedly said that the alliance remains a tool geared toward confrontation and its further expansion will not bring stability to the European continent,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked about the possibility of Sweden and Finland joining NATO.

Earlier that day, London-based newspaper The Times reported, citing officials, that Finland and Sweden appear poised to join NATO as early as the summer.

A senior US State Department official said last week that the prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO was part of the discussion among foreign ministers from the military alliance in Brussels.

On the diplomatic front, Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 11 held face-to-face talks with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who became the first leader of a European Union country to visit Moscow since the special military operation got underway in Ukraine in late February.

“We are militarily neutral, but (have) a clear position” on the RussiaUkraine conflict, Nehammer wrote on Twitter on April 10 before the talks, referring to Austria’s position. “It needs humanitarian corridors.”

The talks were held behind closed doors. The meeting with the Russian leader follows a trip by Nehammer to Ukraine on April 9, during which the Austrian chancellor met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Neutral Austria has been providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine as well as helmets and body armor for civilians, rather than weapons.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed the meeting of his counterparts in Moscow and supports any diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, a government spokesperson said on April 11.

One day earlier, Zelensky had a phone call with Scholz to discuss defense and financial support for Ukraine.

On April 11, US President Joe Biden spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of efforts to urge world leaders to take a hard line against Russia.

India’s neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict has raised concerns in Washington, according to The Associated Press.

India continues to purchase Russian energy supplies, despite pressure from Western countries to avoid buying Russian oil and gas. The US has reportedly considered sanctions on India for its recent purchase of advanced Russian air defense systems.

Russia has destroyed S-300 antiaircraft missile systems that had been supplied to Ukraine by a European country, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on April 11.

The ministry said that Russian sealaunched Kalibr missiles on April 10 destroyed four S-300 launchers that were concealed in a hangar on the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

Russia did not say which European country had supplied the S-300 systems.

The military developments come as an EU oil embargo on Russia draws nearer.

The European Union’s executive is drafting proposals for a possible EU oil embargo on Russia, the foreign ministers of Ireland, Lithuania and the Netherlands said on April 11, although there is still no agreement to ban Russian crude.

On the economic front, the World Bank said in new forecasts published on April 10 that Ukraine’s economy will shrink by 45.1 percent this year.

The entire region is also suffering the economic consequences of the conflict.

Emerging and developing countries of Europe and Central Asia will see a 4.1 percent downturn, while Eastern Europe alone is expected to suffer a 30.7 percent drop in GDP, the World Bank report said.