President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia could move its troops closer to the Finnish-Russian border if Finland joins NATO and called for measures to improve conflict prevention over the Baltic, Reuters reports.
"NATO perhaps would gladly fight with Russia until the last Finnish soldier. Do you guys need it? We don't. We don't want it. But it is your call." Putin said.
Finnish armed forces "would become part of NATO's military infrastructure, which overnight would be at the borders of the Russian Federation", Putin said after meeting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.