Sweden, Finland joining NATO would be tough for Russia, top U.S. general says

Record ID: 1675507

  • Title: Sweden, Finland joining NATO would be tough for Russia, top U.S. general says
  • Date: 4th June 2022
  • Summary: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (JUNE 4, 2022)(REUTERS) VARIOUS OF USS KEARSARGE IN STOCKHOLM HARBOUR VARIOUS OF FLAGS ON THE DECK OF USS KEARSARGE UNITED STATES CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, MARK MILLEY, SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER, MAGDALENA ANDERSSON, SWEDISH DEFENCE MINISTER PETER HULTQVIST AND MICAEL BYDEN, SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE SWEDISH ARMED FORCES WALKING ON DECK BYDEN, MILLEY, ANDERSON AND HULTQVIST AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE)(English) UNITED STATES CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, MARK MILLEY, SAYING: “The Baltic (Sea) is very strategically important, it's one of the great seaways of the world. There’s probably on a day to day basis, I’m told, somewhere around 1,500-2,000 commercial ships running up and down the Baltics. A lot of commerce going back and forth.” TOWER VARIOUS OF TEXT READING (English): Beware of jet blast and rotors” (SOUNDBITE)(English) UNITED STATES CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, MARK MILLEY, SAYING: “So from a Russian perspective that will be very problematic for them, militarily speaking, and it would be very advantageous to NATO.” USS KEARSARGE PERSONNEL STANDING NEAR MILITARY AIRCRAFT OSPREY MILITARY AIRCRAFT (SOUNDBITE)(English) UNITED STATES CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, MARK MILLEY, SAYING: “We’ve been working with the Swedish and Finnish militaries for years and both Swedish and Finnish militaries bring a tremendous amount of capability if finally entering into NATO. So it’s a big interoperability exercise. It also demonstrates commitment. It demonstrates commitment in a common cause, in a rules based international order and the idea that large countries can’t invade small countries at no cost. So what we’re saying here is that we'§§re making a commitment to Sweden and Finland, a commitment of intent by participating in large exercises such as BALTOPS.” VARIOUS OF USS KEARSARGE PERSONNEL ON DECK WITH OLD TOWN IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE)(English) SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER, MAGDALENA ANDERSSON, SAYING: “The presence we see here today is a concrete expression of the U.S.’ support and also very strong political signal at a crucial time in history. And Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign and democratic neighbour, is illegal and it must stop. The transatlantic unity that we have shown during the last weeks and months will continue and has been absolutely crucial.” VARIOUS OF OSPREYS ON DECK MILLEY AND ANDERSSON SHAKING HANDS FLAGS MILLEY PRESENDING ANDERSSON WITH GIFT STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (JUNE 3, 2022)(REUTERS) SWEDISH CORVETTE IN HARBOUR SWEDISH SOLDIER MAN TAKING PHOTO WITH SMART PHONE SWEDISH MILITARY ASSAULT CRAFT SUBMARINE NEXT TO SWEDISH SUBMARINE RESCUE SHIP SUBMARINE VARIOUS OF SWEDISH AND U.S. FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2022 18:41
  • Keywords: BALTOPS Magdalena Andersson NATO NATO membership U.S. General Mark Milley chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Location: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
  • City: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
  • Country: Sweden
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe
  • Reuters ID: LVA001266904062022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Finland and Sweden joining NATO would put Russia in a difficult military position in the Baltic Sea, top U.S. General Mark Milley said on Saturday (June 4) during a visit to Stockholm ahead of a military exercise.
    The two Nordic neighbours, which both have long borders on the Baltic Sea, applied last month to join the military alliance amid security concerns after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, although they face objections from Turkey.
    Their joining would mean the Baltic Sea's coastline would, bar short strips around Russian cities Kaliningrad and St Petersburg, be encircled by NATO members.
    "So from a Russian perspective that will be very problematic for them, militarily speaking, and it would be very advantageous to NATO," said Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
    "The Baltic (Sea is) very strategically important, it's one of the great seaways of the world," Milley added.
    He was speaking at a joint news conference with his Swedish counterpart, the Swedish prime minister and the Swedish defence minister ahead of an annual NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea that Sweden and Finland take part in.
    With Sweden and Finland's hopes to join NATO, the war in Ukraine has triggered the very kind of enlargement of the alliance on Russia's borders that President Vladimir Putin's invasion sought to prevent.
    Putin said last month there was no threat to Russia if Sweden and Finland joined NATO, although he cautioned that Moscow would respond if the U.S.-led alliance bolstered military infrastructure in the new Nordic members.
    Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson described the U.S. military visit as a concrete demonstration of assurances President Joe Biden gave her and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto when they went to Washington in May.
    (Production: Stoyan Nenov, Philip O'Connor, Ilze Filks, Sophia Wang)
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