Sweden joining NATO could lead to crisis: Finnish defense minister

Finnish Defense Minister Jussi Niinisto said on Friday that Sweden being granted NATO membership could lead to a serious crisis and such a crisis could continue over an indefinite period.

Niinisto was quoted by Finnish news agency STT in the wake of an interview Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Lavrov said Russia would adopt military counter measures if Sweden ever joined NATO.

Niinisto rejected the view that the warning by Lavrov would be a direct message to Finland. "It can be interpreted as a message about the Russian stand on NATO and its expansion," Niinisto said. He also said Sweden would join NATO under "a much more tense international climate."

Earlier on Friday, chairman of the Finnish Parliamentary Defense Committee Ilkka Kanerva indicated to broadcaster Yle that he was surprised with Lavrov's comment. Kanerva said he did not believe Russia would resort to military solutions.

Finland is located between Sweden and Russia. Currently, both Finland and Sweden are not NATO members but rather enhanced partners of the organization.

In Sweden, the centrist and conservative parties have called to join NATO, but the ruling social democratic party is against it. In Finland, only the conservative party has openly favored NATO membership.