Many leaders in the Western world believe that Vladimir Putin could very well attack a NATO country. The risk is considered very real if Russia defeats Ukraine in the ongoing war.
“If Putin takes Ukraine, he won't stop there,” said U.S. President Joe Biden earlier in December, predicting a scenario where American troops fight against the Russian military.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has also warned of the exact same thing, most recently at the end of last week.
“If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is a real risk that his aggression won't stop there,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference.
Putin Responds
Now the Russian dictator has responded.
He calls the warnings “complete nonsense,” reports Politico.
“I think President Biden understands this,” says Putin, according to the same newspaper.
“Russia has no reason, no interest – no geopolitical interest, neither economically, politically, nor militarily – to fight with NATO countries.”
However, the Russian leader did not mention the European countries that are outside NATO – which still includes Sweden.
A scenario feared to become very unpleasant unless changed soon, according to a centrally placed source at the Government Offices.
“The risk of a very unpleasant development is tangible. This doesn't feel reassuring,” said the source last week, referring to Hungary and Turkey's delay of Sweden's NATO membership.
Warns Finland: "Problems Will Arise"
In the same breath as Putin assured NATO members that Russia is not planning any more attacks, he also warned Finland of “problems” – which has just recently joined the defense alliance.
“The U.S. dragged Finland into NATO. Did we have any problems with Finland? All disputes, among them the territorial issues in the mid-20th century, were long resolved,” says Putin according to Yle.
“There were no problems, but now they will arise. We will establish the Leningrad Military District and concentrate a certain number of military units there,” adds the dictator."
