Putin Makes Promises on Confidence-Building Measures Russia Cannot Keep (Pavel Felgenhauer, The Jamestown Foundation)

Last week (July 1), during a visit to Helsinki, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened that Finland’s security would be undermined if the Nordic country decided to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Speaking at a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö, Putin insisted, “We cherish Finnish neutrality,” and boasted, “Russia has withdrawn its forces 1,500 kilometers away from the borders of Finland.” If the Finns join NATO, “the Finnish military will cease being independent or truly sovereign—they will become part of NATO’s infrastructure that will, in one instant, reach Russia’s borders,” he stated. Putin acknowledged the Finnish people may decide their own future, but Russian forces “will hardly stay 1,500 km away” and predicted, “NATO will be ready to fight Russia until the last Finnish soldier” (Kremlin.ru, July 1).

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