Putin on alert as Sweden and Finland eye NATO membership – dream to crush West ruined

United States officials said that NATO membership for both Nordic countries was "a topic of conversation and multiple sessions" during talks between the alliance's foreign ministers last week attended by Sweden and Finland. Sweden's ruling Social Democrat party, which has until now rejected membership of NATO, is reviewing its international security policy in the light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it said on Monday.

The Social Democrats, the biggest party in parliament and who form a single party, minority government, have consistently rejected calls to join NATO, arguing that military non-alignment has served the country well.

But an increasingly belligerent Russia has forced a rethink across the political spectrum in both Sweden and neighbour Finland, which is also outside the 30-member NATO alliance.

"When Russia invaded Ukraine, Sweden's security position changed fundamentally," the Social Democrats said in a statement.

Finland is also expected to outline its path regarding NATO in the coming weeks.

The Kremlin said on Monday that the possible accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO military alliance would not bring stability to Europe.

"We have repeatedly said that the alliance remains a tool geared towards confrontation and its further expansion will not bring stability to the European continent," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked about the possibility of Sweden and Finland joining NATO.

NATO has not ruled out any possible new members and it is up to countries such as Sweden and Finland to decide if they want to join, the head of the alliance's military committee said on Tuesday.

"It is a sovereign decision of any nation that wants to join NATO to apply for membership, which they so far have not done," Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer told reporters during a visit to Seoul.

"We are forcing no one into NATO."

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NATO also had not pressured any countries to provide weapons to Ukraine, Admiral Bauer said.

During his visit to the South Korean capital this week, Mr Bauer discussed the Ukraine war, as well as military cooperation between Seoul and NATO.

The visit coincided with a video speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to South Korea's parliament on Monday, in which he asked Seoul for any military aid it could provide, including armoured vehicles and anti-aircraft missiles.

Mr Bauer said he discussed Mr Zelensky's request with South Korean officials, but confirmed their stance that they would only provide non-lethal aid for now.

Mr Bauer said: "If President Zelensky asks for those systems, it means he needs them."

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However, it was up to the South Korean government if they will and can send weapons, he added, noting that NATO had not asked South Korea to provide weapons, and was not providing direct military itself, though member states are.

Mr Bauer said the non-lethal aid, including bulletproof helmets and medical kits, that South Korea had sent was also important.

He declined to comment on reports that Russian forces may have used chemical agents in an attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. NATO assessed that Russia will focus on eastern Ukraine, after having started the war on too many fronts, he said.

NATO and its members will continue to supply "everything possible" to ensure Ukraine's survival, but it would not be deploying its own aircraft or troops to the country, Mr Bauer said.