NATO Discusses Memberships Of Finland And Sweden, Kremlin Will Strengthen Its West Wing Security

Leaders' summit of NATO member states in 2021. (Twitter/@jensstoltenberg)

JAKARTA - Sweden and Finland's plan to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which was discussed at the alliance's foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium this week, received a response from Russia.

The prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO was part of discussions between foreign ministers from the military alliance in Brussels this week, a senior US State Department official said.

"Obviously this will be the choice of those countries," said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

"The alliance door remains open and there are discussions about the potential nomination," the official said.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is said to be aimed among other things at reducing Ukraine's military potential and preventing it from becoming a bridgehead for NATO attacks, has prompted the two Nordic countries to consider joining the US-led alliance.

Since the invasion began on February 24, public opinion polls conducted by Finnish media have shown rapid changes, with a majority of Finns now preferring to join NATO.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters earlier that Finland would clarify its next steps in the coming weeks regarding a possible decision to seek NATO membership.

Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said if Finland and Sweden joined NATO, then Russia would have to "rebalance the situation" with its own actions.

If the two countries join forces, "we have to make our western wing more sophisticated in terms of ensuring our security," Peskov said, citing Reuters from Sky News.

However, he said Russia would not see such a move as an existential threat, of the kind that might prompt it to consider using nuclear weapons.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and the resulting fighting has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and soldiers, displaced millions, destruction of cities and settlements, and triggered an unprecedented barrage of coordinated Western sanctions.